a celebrated Italian poet, descended of an ancient and illustrious family at Verona, was born in 1675. After having finished his studies, he took arms, and distinguished himself by his valour at the battle of Douaumont; but he more particularly signalized himself by his love of learning, which made him undertake several journeys into France, England, and Germany. He conversed with the learned in all these countries, and obtained their friendship and esteem. He was a member of the academy of the Arcadians at Rome, an honorary foreign member of that of Inscriptions at Paris, and died in 1755. He wrote many works in verse and prose, which are esteemed. Of these, the best known are, 1. The Tragedy of Merope, of which there are two French translations in prose; 2. Ceremony, a comedy; 3. A Translation, into Italian verse, of the first book of Homer's Iliad; 4. Many other pieces of poetry, in a collection entitled Rhyme and Prose, 4to. His principal works in prose are, 1. Verona Illustrata; 2. Istoria Diplomatica; 3. Scienza Cavalleresca, an excellent work, in which he attacks duelling; 4. An edition of the Theatro Italiano; 5. An edition of Cassiodorus on the Epistles, Acts of the Apostles, and Apocalypse; and, 6. Galliae Antiquitates quaedam selectae, atque in plures Epistolae distribute; besides several other works.

Mafrá, a small town in Portugal, the principal celebrity of which is derived from a royal convent, one of the most splendid in the kingdom. The convent contains three hundred cells, for as many monks. The church, which is in the centre, is large and handsome; and the marble steps leading to it are peculiarly grand. The interior is ornamented with beautiful marbles, exquisitely wrought. There are in it six organs and twelve altars. The whole pile is enormous, being two hundred and sixty feet in length, containing eight hundred and seventy apartments, and five thousand two hundred windows. Near the convent is an extensive and beautiful royal park, well stocked with game of every kind. It is in the province of Estremadura, and contains 1000 inhabitants.