GOLDONI, CHARLES, an eminent Italian dramatic au thor, was born at Venice in the year 1707. He displayed an early disposition for study, and could both read and write when only our years old. The perusal of the comic wri ters of his country was his favourite occupation. Of these, his father's small library afforded him a considerable fund; and he made it a practice to transcribe those passages which gave him most pleasure. At the age of eight, he ventured to sketch a comedy of his own invention.
His father having been called to exercise his profession of a physician at Perugia, he placed his son at the college of the Jesuits there, where he studied grammar and rhe toric ; and his preceptors were so highly pleased with his proficiency, that when he was about to leave the college, they offered him a situation in their Society, which he, how ever, thought proper to decline. He thence went to Ri mini, to pursue his philosophical studies at the college of the Dominicans. But the dry dogmas of the scholastic philosophy had no attractions for the lively mind of Gol doni, who thought himself much more usefully and agree ably employed in perusing the works of Plautus, Terence, and Aristophanes, and in attending a troop of comedians, who were then performing at Rimini. At the end of their engagement, the players prevailed upon him to accompany them to Chiozza, where his mother resided. His father was a good deal irritated at this foolish step, but soon be came pacified; and intending that his son should embrace his own profession, he took him occasionally to visit his patients. The son, however, showed no inclination for the medical profession ; and it was then resolved that he should study law. With this view, he was placed for some time as a clerk with his uncle, Al. Indric, a respectable practi tioner at Venice, and was afterwards removed to the papal college in the university of Pavia ; but in the third year of his studies, he was expelled from the college, in con sequence of a satirical effusion which he had been prompted to circulate against some of the inhabitants of the town, who had given him offence. After several changes of fortune, he at length engaged in practice at the bar of Venice ; where he published an Almanack for the year 1732, and composed a lyrical tragedy, entitled Anudasonte, which he afterwards suppressed. Having been obliged to leave Venice in disgust, he removed to Wan, where he became attached to the suite of the Ve netian resident. Here he composed a short comic opera, called The Venetian Gondolier, which was performed, and afterwards printed among his works. He afterwards re turned to Venice, where he employed himself in compos ing pieces for the theatres. His Belisarius, a tragi-co
medy, was represented, for the first time, on the 24th of November 1734, and experienced a most brilliant recep having been repeated every day until the 14th of De cember.
In the spring of the following year, he accompanied the comedians to Genoa, where he married a lady of that place. From this period, he continued to compose dramatic pieces for several of the Italian theatres. In 1742, however, he was induced to settle as an advocate at Pisa, and he appears to have practised for some time with considerable success; but the theatre at length seduced him from his legal pur suits, and he again attached himself to a company of come dians. He accordingly returned to Venice, and continued to compose for the theatres of that and other cities of Italy, until the year 1761, when he received and accept ed an invitation to Paris. Here lie furnished a number of pieces for the Italian opera ; and even ventured, although a foreigner, after a nine yeai;s residence, to compose come dies in the French language. One of these, Le Bourne bienfaisant, experienced a very flattering reception, and was admitted among the number of stock plays. He also attended some of the French princesses in the capa city of Italian teacher ; and besides some presents in money, he obtained the grant of a yearly pension of four thousand livres. At the period of the revolution his pros pects darkened ; his pension was withdrawn ; and after passing some years in poverty and distress, he died in the beginning of the year 1793, at the age of 86..
In private life, Goldoni appears to have been amiable. chearful, easy, and artless. As a comic author, he ranks high among the writers of his age and country. Like Lope de Vega, he seems to have possessed an almost mi raculous fertility of conception, and rapidity of execution. In one theatrical season, at Venice, he furnished no less than sixteen new comedies, besides other pieces. He also composed a great number of operas, both serious and comic; but of these he was not vain, and indeed never thought them worthy of publication. His admirable comic opera, however, entitled La Buona Figliuola, set to music by Piccini, and first performed in London on the 9th of December 1766, established the reputation both of the au thor and composer in this country.
The works of Goldoni are very numerous. The most complete edition, it is believed, is that printed at Leghorn in 1788-91, in 31 volumes 8vo. See Memoires de Goldoni, Paris and London, 1814 ; and Monthly Magazine. vol. v . (z)