ALDROVAND1, Ui.tssis, in Biography, a cele brated Italian, who was one of the earliest and most assiduous improvers of Natural I listory, after the revi val of literature in Europe. Ile was born at Bologna in 1525, and was descended from a noble family. Ile commenced his studies in his native city, and afterwards prosecuted them at Padua; but it is not certain of what nature these earlier studies Wel e. Ile seems to have been, even while very young, a zealous inquirer after truth, and was probably very liberal in delivering the opinions which lie had formed; for we find that, in 1550, he had rendered himself an object of jealous animad version to the Popish bigots of that age ; and was obli ged to repair to Rome, to defend himself against a charge of heresy. In this seat of the polite arts, Aldrovandi occupied himself in the study of antiquities ; and drew up an account of ancient statues, which was published in a work on Roman antiquities by Ludo Mauso. Here, too, he became acquainted with Rondelet, an eminent writer on fishes ; and appears now first to have imbibed that taste for natural history for which he was after wards so much distinguished. Returning to his native city, lie entered on the study of botany; and, in 1553, was made a graduate in physic by that university, an honour which was soon followed by an appointment to the professorship of philosophy and logic, and the lec tureship on botany. From this period we may date his eminence as a naturalist. He examined with ardour and assiduity every department of Nature's works, and formed a plan of describing and arranging them, so ex tensive as to entitle him to the appellation of the ill dery Pliny. In the prosecution of this plan, he spared neither labour nor expense. Ile collected books, maintained an epistolary correspondence with learned men in almost every part of Europe ; undertook many journeys; and employed, at a great expense, persons to collect rare and curious productions, and eminent artists to delineate and engrave them. In prosecuting these undertakings,
and in the formation of a museum, lie received liberal assistance from °diets; but it has been asserted, that he entirely exhausted his own fortune, and involved him self in such pecuniary difficulties, that he died in the hospital at Bologna, in the year 1605, having attained the age of 79. This fact, so disgraceful to human na ture, there seems reason for calling in question. Be sides that it appears so extremely improbable, that the senate of Bologna, and so many illustrious princes and noblemen, who had hitherto been his patrons, should so disgracefully abandon him, we have the positive asser tion of sonic contemporary writers, that be died rich, and loaded with honours ; and the silence of other au thors, who had had every opportunity of ascertaining so remarkable a circumstance, furnishes an additional proof of its falsehood.
The university of Bologna was much indebted to Al drovandi ; for, besides bequeathing to it his valuable mu seum, which was the principal part of that which now exists there, he was the chief promoter of the botanic garden, which was founded at Bologna, in the year 1567. The works on natural history that pass under his name, form IS volumes in folio ; but it is not certain that more than six arc genuine, viz. three on birds, and one cn insects, which were published during his life in 1599; one on bloodless annuals; and one on fishes, which were composed by him, and left ready for publication. The other seven, treating on quadrupeds, serpents, monst rs, metals, and trees, were compiled partly from materials collected by him, and partly from other sources. Besides, these volumes on natural history, Aldrovandi is said to have composed essays and treatises on a great variety of subjects. He also left a Hortu,s. :circus, or collection of dried plants, which tilled 16 large folio volumes, and which was to be seen nearly a century after his death.