Francis, one of the most learned men of his time, was born at Verona in 1662, of a noble and ancient family. His taste for natural philosophy and mathematics induced him to establish the academy of Alettofili, at Verona. He went to Rome in 1684, and was made librarian to Cardinal Ottoboni, who was afterwards pope under the name of Alexander VIII. He also became canon of St Mary de la Rotonda, and at length of St Lawrence in Damaso. He was esteemed by the learned, was a member of many academies, and published several ingenious dissertations. He died in 1729, aged sixty-seven.