GIORDANI, PIETRO (1774-1848), Italian writer, was born on Jan. 1, 1774, at Piacenza, and died on Sept. 1848, at Parma. He studied philosophy and law at his native town, and after an unsuccessful attempt to become a Benedictine, was made professor of literature at Bologna. He was secretary of the Academy at Bologna from 1808 to 1815, when his Panegirico d Napoleon resulted in the loss of his position. He afterwards trav elled in various parts of Italy, became friendly with Manzoni and Canova, and wrote, in excellent Italian prose, numerous works on aesthetics and politics. These were edited by Gussali in 14 vols., 1854-62.
See D. Giovanni, P. Giordani (Milan, 1882) , and S. Fermi, Biblio grafia delle Lettere a stampa di P. Giordani (Florence, 1923).