AMA'RI, MICIIELE, an Italian historian and orientalist, was b. at Palermo, July 7, 1806. At the age of 16, he entered a government office; and shortly after—his father being condemned to 30 years' imprisonment for a political crime—the duty of supporting his mother and the other members of the family devolved upon him. His straitened circumstances soured him; and lie even meditated becoming a bandit, but was roused from his morbid wretchedness by falling passionately in love with an English lady. Although he did not win her hand, lie secured a knowledge of the English language, the first result of which was a translation of Sir Walter Scott's Marinion, published at Palermo in 1832. A soon became a political "suspect ;" and although he had conducted himself during the tumult of 1837 with exemplary moderation, he was summarily trans ferred to a situation in Naples, where he remained four years, and where lie pursued with the utmost diligence his historical investigations. In 1842 appeared his L.r Guerra del •espro Sicillano (The War of the Sicilian Vespers), which has been often republished, and remains the master-piece of its author. Its great merit arises from its having successfully combated the common notion that the terrible massacre so named was the result of a deep and ramified conspiracy on the part of the nobles. A. proves from a letter of Charles of Anjou himself, as well as from numerous other sources, that it was a popular or national outbreak, occasioned by the tyranny of the foreign rulers, that really brought about the deliverance of Sicily. The book was quickly prohibited, and,
as a consequence, widely read. It was translated into German by Dr. Schroeder of Hildeshehn, and into English by lord Ellesmere. A. was now ordered to Naples, but • fled to France, where he gave himself up to the study of Arabic and modern Greek, and to the preparation of his _History of the Mussubruzns in Sicily. At the revolution of 1848, he returned to Palermo, where he had been appointed professor of public law, but shortly after his arrival was elected vice-president of the committee of war. He was next sent on a diplomatic mission by the provisional government to France and England. In 1849, he published at Paris La. Sidle et les Bourbons, to show up the pretensions of the Neapd1-. itan sovereign. After the Sicilian insurrection had been quelled, A. took up his residence in Paris, where lie devoted himself to literary pursuits till 1860, when lie returned to Italy. He was made senator next year, and in 1863-4 was minister of instruction. Other writings of A. are upon the language and history of the Arabs, in the Revue Amite ologique, the Journal Asiatique, etc. He d. 20th Sept., 1870, at Palermo.