Maffei, Francesco Scipione De

Maffei, Francesco Scipione de a noted Italian scholar, known chiefly as a dramatic writer, was born at Verona June 1, 1675; studied at the Jesuit college of Parma, there led a literary life, went to Rome in 1698, and afterwards entered the army, and distinguished himself in the war of the Spanish Succession; resumed his literary pursuits, and died Feb. 11, 1755. Aside from his merely literary productions, he wrote some theological works, such as Istoria teologica delle dottrine, e delle opinione corse ne, cinque primi secoli della chiesa in proposito della divina grazia, del libero arbitrio e della predestinazione (Tridenti. 1712; translated into Latin by the Jesuit Frederick Reissenberg [Francf. ad. M. 1736]): — Giunsenismo nuovo dimonstrato nelle conseguenze il medesimo (Venet. 1732). Among his works on morals, the mostimportant is Della scienza chiamata cavallaresca (Rom. 1720, and often), in which he condemns duelling. HisDe teatri antiche e moderni (Verona, 1753) is a defenseof the theater as a moral institution. His collectedworks were published at Venice (1790, 18 vols. 8vo). — Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 8:661; Life and Times of Palleario (Rome, 1860, 2 vols. 8vo), vol. 1 and 2.