Novarini, Luigi

Novarini, Luigi an Italian theologian of note, was born at Verona in 1594. He received at baptism the name of Girolamo, which he changed to that of Luigi when he took, in 1612, the garb of the Theatins. After having studied theology and entered the priesthood at Venice, he returned to his native city, where he occupied different positions in his order. He died at Verona in 1656. Of his value as a writer, Niceron says: "His natural vivacity would not allow him to polish his productions; he placed indiscriminately upon paper all that he found in his collections upon the subject of which he was treating, whether good or bad; the desire of using all he had gathered often caused him to make digressions, which only served to swell his books. He also thought more of making large and numerous works than of composing good ones." Most noteworthy of his works are, Electa sacra (Venice, Lyons, and Verona, 1627-1645, 5 vols. fol.); vol. ii, which, in a diffuse and mystical style, contains a eulogy of the Virgin, has had three editions: — Risus sardonicus, hoc est deflecta mundi laetitia (Verona, 1630, 12mo): Schediasmata sacro-profhna (Lyons, 1635, fol.): — Adagia ex SS. Patrum ecclesiasticorumque scriptorum monumentis prompta (ibid. 1637, 2 vols. fol.): — Matthaeus, Marcus, Lucas, et Joananes expensi (ibid. 16421643, 3 vols. fol.); a series of moral commentaries upon the evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles: — Paulus expensus (Verona, 1644, fol.): — Omnium scienztiarumn anima, hoc est 'axiomata physio-theologica (Lyons, 1644, 3 vols. fol.): — Moses expensus (Verona, 1646-1648, 2 vols. fol.): — Encyclopcedia epistolaris (Venice, 1645, fol.): — Admiranda orbis Christiani (ibid. 1680, 2 vols. fol.); this compilation, in which are found many fabulous things, has been edited by the care of J. B. Bagatta, a Theatin monk. See Silos, Hist. Clericorum Regul. pt. iii; Niceron, Memoires, vol. xl, s.v.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog, Generale, 38:336; Hooker, Eccles. Biog. 7:432.