Affaitati, Antonio Maria

AFFAITATI, ANTONIO MARIA. - Capuchin writer, in the world Casimiro, b. in 1660 at Albogasio, of a noble Cremonese family, d. at Milan on 26 April 1721. He entered the Lombard Capuchins at the age of sixteen (1676). Of austere life and most humble, he shunned every office.

For fifteen continuous years he assisted those condemned to death, and, as the fruit of that ministry, he left the golden booklet Il caritativo assistente in pratica. Metodo per confortare ed aiutare i condannati a morte ad un felice passaggio, etc., Milan 1719. Archivist of his province, he composed Piori istorici, ovvero compendio di erudizione virtuosa, e fatti illustri di uomini grandi antichi e moderni, sacri e profani, e loro detti memorabili, etc., Milan 1711, 2nd ed. 1737; Memoriale catechistico esposto alle religiose claustrali di qualunque ordine, Milan 1716, 2nd ed. 1739. His most celebrated work is a learned treatise on agriculture, which, in its many successive editions, was enlarged by the author with new studies and subjects. Published at Milan in 1710, in the 1711 edition (greatly enlarged) it bears the title: Il semplice ortolano in villa, e l'accurato giardiniere in città. Regole pratiche e fondate su l'esperienza di vecchi ortolani per coltivare qualunque sorta di erbaggi, per propagare, innestare piante, viti, ecc., Milan 1711.