FICINO, MARCELLO, a distinguished Italian scholar, was born at Florence in 1453. Instead of devoting himself, as the fashion of that age was, to the study of Aristotle, he selected Plato as his favourite author; and may be considered as the restorer of that philosopher's doctrines in the west. He translated the whole of his works into Latin, besides portions of those of his most celebrated followers, such as Plotinus, Proclus, Porphyrius, and Jamblicus. He died at Correggio in 1499; and we are informed by Baronius that after his death he appeared to his friend Michaele Mercato, to whom he had promised to manifest himself as a confirmation of his doctrines regarding the immortality of the soul. His collected works appeared first at Venice in 1516, and were afterwards reprinted at Basil and at Paris.