BETTINELLI, SAVERIO (1718-1808), Italian Jesuit and man of letters, was born at Mantua on July 18, 1718. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1736, taught rhetoric at Venice, and was then head of the college of nobles at Parma. He travelled ex tensively in Europe, and finally settled in Italy in 1759, and had just been appointed to the chair of rhetoric at Modena in when the Jesuits were banished. His old age was spent in Mantua. He had become famous with his Lettere dieci di Virgilio Agli Ar cadi (1756), in which he attacked the cult of Dante. This book which brought him personal compliments from Voltaire, made him many enemies. His most important work is the Risorgimento negli studj, nelle Arti e ne' Costumi dopo it Mille a sketch of the progress of literature, science, the fine arts, industry, etc., in Italy.