FRACASTO'RO, Ill EHO'NYMUS, one of the most learned mon of his time, as well as one of the best modern Latin poets, was born at Verona, in 1483, of en ancient family. From his earliest youth he applied himself to the study of the science., particularly to medicine, and he became professor of !ogle st.the university of Padua when be was only nineteen yule old. Fr:master° died in 1553. He enjoyed during his lifetime the esteem and friendship of many eminent men of his time, and Remind°, who owed to Fraosetoro the idea as well many materials for his collection of the ' Navigation! et Vinggi,' erected it brass statue to his memory at Padua. Julius Queer Scaliger was such an admirer of Fracastorox poetical talents that he wrote a poem in his lulu, entitled Arm Peace/aerial' Tho principal works of Fracastoro arc—' Syphilidon, sire morbl Ganef, libri tree,' published at Verona, 1530, in 4to ; aud subsequent) y often reprinted elsewhere ; besides being translated Into French, and several times into Italian : the beet Italian translation Is that of Vizeutio Benin! de Colonin, pub lished, with the complete collection of Fraeastoro's works, at Padua, 1739, in 4to. Fracastoro's reputation rests chiefly on this work, which be dedicated to Ilembo, who was his particular friend, in a poetical epistle, of which Roscoe has given an English translation in his life of Leo X. It is remarkable that the name of the hero, Syphilis, from
which the title of the poem is derived, gave birth to the technical appellation by which the above-mentioned disease Is known. It seems that in adopting such a subject for his ;teem Fmcantoro wished to display in one work his extensive knowledge in the various branches of natural philosophy, hie skill In medicine, and hie admintble genius for Latin poetry. Besides the poem of ' Syphilis, Fracestore pub lished the following works :—'1/ti Viol Temperature,' Venice, 1514, in Ito; 'Homocentricorum, sive do Steins, fiber untie de Canals Critl corum dierum, libellus,' Venice*, 1535, in 4to; 1538, 8vo ; 'De Sympa ilia et Antipathill 'term, fiber untie; de Contagionibus et Conta gioeis Horbis, et serum Curatione, libri tree,' Venice, 1546, in Ito. Ptomaine began a poem entitled 'Joseph,' but he was prevented by death from finishing more than two cantos. lie also left a volume of Latin poetry on different subjects, addressed to several eminent per sonages of his time. All these poetical productions were collected and published at Padua, l728, 8vo. The complete works of Fracaatoro appeared for the first time at Venice, 1555, in Ito, and they have been many times reprinted there and elsewhere.