MURATORI, Ludovico Antonio (1672-1750), a learned Italian scholar, historian, and antiquary, was born at Vignola in the duchy of Modena 21st October 1672. Whilst still young he attracted the attention of Father Bacchini, the librarian of the duke of Modena, by whom he was inspired with a taste for historical and antiquarian research, and introduced to the study of MSS. Having taken minor orders in 1688, Muratori proceeded to his degree of doctor in utroque jure before 1694, in which year he was appointed by Count Carlo Borromeo one of the doctors of the Ambrosian library at Milan. From manuscripts now placed under his charge, and which had been hitherto neglected, he made a selection of materials for several volumes {Anecdota), which he published with critical and explanatory notes. The reputation he in consequence acquired was such that the duke of Modena offered him the situation of keeper of the public archives of the duchy. Muratori hesitated, until the offer of the additional post of librarian, on the resignation of Father Bacchini, determined him in 1700 to return to Modena. The remainder of his life was an almost uninterrupted course of ardent and indefatigable intellectual labour. The preparation of numerous valuable tracts on the history of Italy during the Middle Ages, and of dissertations and discussions on obscure points of historical and antiquarian interest, as well as the publication of his various philosophical, theological, legal, poetical, and other works absorbed the greater part of his time and attention. These as they successively appeared added to his growing reputation, and brought him into communication with the most distinguished scholars of Italy, France, and Germany. But they also exposed him in his later years to the machinations of the ...