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time auditor general of the Nunciature. These employments, however, did not engage him so much, but that he found time to read the ancients, and apply himself to polite literature. He returned to Rome with cardinal Bonelli, who had been nuncio in Spain; and from his domestic became his most intimate friend. He was appointed judge of the appeals to the Capitol; which post he afterwards quitted for that of auditor of the legation of Urbino, under the cardinal legate Cerri. His residence in his own country gave him an opportunity of settling his own private affairs, which had been greatly disordered during his absence. He continued there three years, which appeared very long to him, because his inclination to study and antiquities made him wish to settle at Rome, where he might easily gratify those desires to the utmost. He readily accepted, therefore, the invitation of cardinal Corpegna, the pope's vicar, who employed him in drawing up the apos tolical briefs, and other dispatches belonging to his office, and gave him the inspection of the reliques found at Rome and parts adjacent. Alexander VIII. whom Fabretti had served as auditor when cardinal, made him secretary of the memorials, when he was advanced to the pontificate; and had so great a value and affection for him, that he would certainly have raised him to higher dignities, if he had lived a little longer.

Upon the death of Alexander, Fabretti retired from business, and devoted himself entirely to his favourite amusement. He went to search antiquities in the country about Rome, without any other companion than his horse, and without any regard to the heat or inclemency of the weather. As he always made use of the same horse, his friends gave that animal, by way of jest, the name of Marco Polo, the famous traveller; and said, that this horse used to discover ancient monuments by the smell, and to stop of himself immediately when he came to any ruins of an old building. Fabretti was so well pleased with the name given to his horse, that he used it to write a letter to one of his friends in an ironical strain, yet full of learning, upon the study of antiquity: but this letter was never printed. Innocent XII. obliged him to quit his retirement, and made him keeper of the archives of the castle of St. Angelo; a post, which is never given but to men of the most approved integrity, since he who enjoys that place is master of all the secrets of the pope's temporal estate. All these dif

ferent employments never interrupted his researches into antiquity; and he collected enough to adorn his paternal house at Urbino, as well as that which he had built at Rome after the death of Alexander VIII. Neither could old age divert him from his studies, nor hinder him from labouring at the edition of his works, which he printed at his own house. He died Jan. 7, 1700. He was a member of the academy of the Assorditi at Urbino, and the Arcadi at Rome.

He was the author of the following works: 1. "De Aquis & Aquæ-ductibus Veteris Romæ Dissertationes tres," Romæ, 1680, 4to. This book may serve to illustrate Frontinus, who has treated of the aqueducts of Rome, as they were in his time under the emperor Trajan. It is inserted in the fourth volume of Grævius's "Thesaurus Antiquitatum Romanarum." 2. "De Columna Trajana Syntagma. Accesserunt explicatio Veteris Tabellæ Anaglyphæ Homeri Iliadem, atque ex Stesichoro, Arctino, et Lesche Ilii excidium. continentis, et emissarii lacus Fucini descriptio," Romæ, 1683, folio. 3. "Jasithei ad Grunnovium Apologema, in ejusque Titivilitia, sive de Tito Livio somnia, animadversiones," Neapol. 1686, 4to. This work is an answer to James Gronovius's "Responsio ad Cavillationes R. Fabretti," printed at Leyden, 1685. Fabretti had given occasion to this dispute, by censuring, in his book "De Aquæ-ductibus," some corrections of Gronovius; and thus had drawn upon himself an adversary, who treated him with very little ceremony. Fabretti replied to him here, under the name Jasitheus, and treated him with equal coarseness. Gronovius called him Faber Rusticus, which he retorted by styling his antagonist Grunnovius. 4. "Inscriptionum Antiquarum, quæ in ædibus paternis asservantur, explicatio et additamentum," Romæ, 1699, folio. Fabretti had an admirable talent in decyphering the most difficult inscriptions, and discovered a method of making something out of those which seemed entirely disfigured through age, and the letters of which were effaced in such a manner as not to be discernible. He cleaned the surface of the stone, without touching those places where the letters had been engraven. He then laid upon it a piece of thick paper well moistened, and pressed it with a spunge, or wooden pin covered with linen; by which means the paper entered into the cavity of the letters, and, taking up the dust there, discovered the traces of the letters. M. Baudelot, in his

book "De l'Utilité des Voyages," informs us of a secret very like this, in order to read upon medals those letters which are difficult to be decyphered. 5. "A Letter to the abbé Nicaise," containing an inscription remarkable for the elegance of its style, inserted in the "Journal des Sçavans" of Dec. 1691. He left unfinished "Latium vetus illustratum." Fabretti discovers in his writings a lively genius, a clear and easy conception, and a great deal of learning. '

FABRI (HONORE'), an industrious and learned Jesuit, was born in the diocese of Bellay in 1606 or 1607. He for a long time held the chair of professor of philosophy in the college de la Trinité at Lyons; but in consequence of his profound knowledge of theology, he was called to Rome, where he was made a penitentiary. He died in that city on the 9th of March, 1688. He was a man of most extensive and universal knowledge, and studied medicine and anatomy with considerable ardour. He assumed the credit of the discovery of the circulation of the blood, and father Regnault, and other credulous persons, have supported his assumption, on the grounds that he had maintained the fact of the circulation in a discussion in 1638: but Harvey had published his discovery in 1628. The medical works of this Jesuit consist of an apology for the Peruvian bark, in answer to Plempius, which he published at Rome in 1655, under the title of "Pulvis Peruvianus Febrifugus vindicatus ;" and two other essays, one, "De Plantis, et Generatione Animalium," the other, "De Homine," published at Paris in 1666, and at Nuremberg in 1677. His theological works are mostly controversial, and now held in little estimation. 2

FABRIANO (GENTILE DA), a famous painter, in the early stage of the art after its restoration, was born at Verona in 1332, and was a disciple of Giovanni da Fiesole. His most conspicuous work was a picture in the great council chamber of the state of Venice, executed by order of the doge and senate, who regarded the work in so extraordinary a degree of esteem, that they granted him a pension for life, and conferred upon him the privilege of wearing the habit of a noble Venetian; the highest honour in the power of the state to bestow. Many of his pictures

Fabroni Vita Italorum, vol. VI.—Gen. Dict.~Moreri,—Saxii Onomast.
Moreri-Dict. Hist.-Rees's Cyclopedia.

adorn the pope's palace of St. Giovanni Laterano, and the churches in Florence, Urbino, Perugia, Sienna, and Rome. One of them in the church of Santa Maria Nuova, placed over the tomb of cardinal Adimari, representing the Virgin and child, with St. Joseph and St. Benedict, was highly commended by Michael Angelo; whom Vasari represents as being accustomed to say that in painting the hand of Gentile was correspondent with his name. He died in 1412, 80 years old.1

FABRICIUS (ANDREW), a learned popish divine in the sixteenth century, was born at a village in the country of Liege, and studied philosophy and divinity under his brother Geoffry; such was his progress that he was soon preferred to teach those sciences at Louvain. While here Otho, cardinal of Augsburgh, engaged him in his service, and sent him to Rome where he remained his agent for about six years under the pontificate of Pius V. On his return he was promoted to be counsellor to the dukes of Bavaria, and by their interest was farther advanced to the provostship of Ottingen, where probably he died, in 1581. His principal work was "Harmonia confessionis Augustiniana," Cologn, 1573 and 1587, folio. He wrote also a "Catechism," with notes and illustrations, Antwerp, 1600, 8vo; and three "Latin tragedies," which are said to be written in elegant language: 1. "Jeroboam rebellens," Ingoldstadt, 1585. 2. " Religio patiens," Cologn, 1566; and "Samson," ibid. 1569. The two former, it must be observed, are ingeniously contrived to assimilate the heretics, that is those of the reformed religion, with the rebellious Israelites. 2

FABRICIUS (CAIUS), sirnamed LUSCINUS, an illustrious Roman, was much and justly celebrated for his inflexible integrity, and contempt of riches. He was twice consul, first in the year before Christ 282, when he obtained a triumph for his victories over the Samnites, Lucani, and Bruttii. Two years after this, Pyrrhus invaded Italy; and, after the defeat of the Romans near Tarentum, Fabricius was sent to that monarch to treat of the ransom and exchange of prisoners, on which occasion he manifested a noble contempt of every endeavour that could be made, in any shape, to shake his fidelity, and excited the admiration of Pyrrhus. His second consulship was in the year 278, 1 Pilkington-Rees's Cyclopædia. 2 Moreri,-Foppen Bibl. Belg.

when his refined generosity yet further secured the esteem of the royal enemy, whom he informed of the treacherous design of his physician to give him poison. According to some authors, he again triumphed this year over the allies of Pyrrhus. It was remarked, that when the comitia were held for the ensuing consuls, Cornelius Rufinus, a man of notorious avarice, and detested by Fabricius for that vice, but an excellent general, obtained the consulship chiefly by his interest. Being asked the reason of this unexpected proceeding, he said, "In times of danger it is better that the public purse should be plundered, than the state betrayed to the enemy." But when he became censor in the year 275, he proved his fixed dislike to that man's character, by removing him from the senate, for possessing an unlawful amount of silver plate. The war with Pyrrhus was then concluded. St. Evremond, with the contemptible sneer of a man who has no conception of disinterested virtue, insinuates that his poverty was ambitious, and his severity envious; but it is not for a French Epicurean to judge the motives of a Fabricius. His frugality and poverty became almost proverbial; and Virgil has characterized him in very few words:

"Fabricium.

"parvoque potentem

The state paid a glorious tribute to his memory by portioning his daughters after his death."

FABRICIUS (FRANCIS), professor of divinity in the university of Leipsic, was born at Amsterdam April 10, 1663. His father was a divine and pastor of the church of Meurs, but he had the misfortune to lose both parents when he was only five years old. His education then devolved upon his maternal grandfather, Francis Felbier, who appears to have done ample justice to him, and particularly introduced him to that intimate acquaintance with the French language for which he was afterwards distinguished. He began to be taught Latin in the public school of Amsterdam in 1673; but in less than three months his grandfather died, and on his death-bed advised him to devote himself to the study of divinity, which was the wish and intention both of himself and of his parents. He accordingly pursued his classical studies with great assiduity; and in 1679, when in his sixteenth year, was much applauded for a discourse he

Plutarch in Pyrrhus.-Gen. Dict.-Roman Hist.

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