In the manner of PLUTARCH: Between a most celebrated Man of FLORENCE; And ONE, fcarce ever heard of, in ENGLAND. By the Reverend Mr. SPENCE. Parvis componere magna.------VIRGIL. PRINTED AT STRAWBERRY-HILL, And Sold by Meffieurs DODSLEY, at Tully's- For the Benefit of Mr. HILL. M DCC LVHL THE LIF I FE OF SIGNR. MAGLIABECHI. A MONG the number of eminent men which the city of Florence has produced fince the revival of litterature, one of the most extraordinary, and of the most celebrated in his time, was ANTONIO MAG LIABECHI: And indeed there are fuch uncommon things afferted of him, and fo far exceeding the bounds of probability, as may seem to require fome apology even for repeating them; it may therefore not be improper to premise, that the chief authorities on which the following account of him is founded, are Florentines; that the Italians in general, and the Florentines in particular, delight in a higher and larger way of fpeaking than is ufual among us; that they deal much in fuperlatives; and that their fuperlative, like that in the Latin language from which it is derived, figni fies, VERY MUCH; 鹦 as well as, THE MOST: That whatever þ have quoted from books, is, in general very punctually referred to in the notes, and often, the very words of the authors inferted; and that whatever is not fo authorized, is what I have learned in conversation with gentlemen of the city of Florence, who were perfonally acquainted with MAGLIABECHI, men of learning and reputation, and of very good credit, both for know ledge |