MONTI, VINCENZO, the great regenerator of modern Italian poetry, was b. Feb. 19, 1753, in the Roman province of Ferrara, and studied in the university of Ferrara. On the termination of his studies he repaired to Rome (1778), where the patronage of friends obtained for him the post of secretary to the pope's nephew. During his abode in Rome lie became involved in a bitter squabble with Alfieri, whose fame as a master-tragedian of Italy was then high in the ascendant—a fact which may have been unpalatable to Monti in consequence of the failure of his own dramatic attempts. The assassination of Basville, the republican envoy of France, afforded to Monti a subject for his poem, La Basvilliana. His two succeeding poems, the Musigonia and the Feroniade, contained the bitterest invectives against France and Bonaparte; but on the appearance of a French army before Rome, Monti, with the inexcusable inconsistency which characterized his political conduct throughout, hastened to espouse the cause of France, and to invoke the protection of Bonaparte. Monti was shortly after appointed secretary of the Cisalpine directory; and in 1789 repaired to Prance, where he undertook the translation of Voltaire's poetical works. On,returning to Italy he was appointed professor in the university of
Pavia; and in 1803, on Bonaparte being proclaimed of Italy,•Monti was appointed state historiographer. On the fall of the empire Monti became the eulogist of the Aus trian possessors of his country. In the midst of all these political vicissitudes, he pur sued V.th vigor his studies of the classics, and accomplished one of his greatest works, the translation of the Iliad into Italian verse. Monti died at Milan, Oct. 13, 1828, of an apoplectic stroke, and was sincerely lamented, notwithstanding the many opponents his hasty susceptibility hind created in life. The best editions of his works are those of Milan (1825-27, 8 vols:), and his Opdre e Rare (Milan, 1832-33,,5 vols.). Monti had a warm admiration of Dante, and partook, in some degree, of the spirit of the great. master. His chief works are distinguished by sustained grandeur of imagery and diction, by daring flights of imagination, and by the delicacy, elevation, and fire of the senti ments expressed. They are too numerous for separate notice, hut the best of them rank among the noblest productions of Italian genius.