BALTHAZAR, an eminent Italian nobleman, was born at Casalico, in the duchy of Milan, in 1478. He studied painting, sculpture, and architecture, as appears from a book he wrote in favour of these arts; and excelled so much in them, that Raphael, Urbino, and Buonarotti, though incomparable artists, never thought their works complete without the approbation of Count Castiglioni. When he was twenty-six years of age, Guido Ubald, duke of Urbino, sent him ambassador to Pope Julius II. He was dispatched on a second embassy to Louis XII. of France, and on a third to Henry VII. of England. After he had terminated his business here, he returned, and began his celebrated work, entitled the Courtier, which he completed at Rome in 1516. This work is full of moral and political instruction; and if we seek for the Italian tongue in perfection, it is said to be nowhere better found than in this performance. A version of this work, together with the original Italian, was published at London in 1727, by A. P. Castiglioni, a gentleman of the same family, who resided here under the patronage of Dr Gibson, bishop of London. Count Castiglioni was sent by Clement VII. to the court of the emperor Charles V. in quality of delegate, and died at Toledo in 1529.