BECCARIA, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Born in Mondovì in 1716, he became a Jesuit at the age of 16, taught philosophy and rhetoric in Palermo and Rome, but by inclination devoted himself to mathematics, and through mathematics turned to the study of the theories of Galileo and Newton, in which he gained such clear renown that in 1748 he was called to teach physical sciences at the University of Turin. He took the main path of experience and earned the merit of forming distinguished disciples, such as Lagrange, Cigna, Prospero Balbo, and Angelo Saluzzo. From among his pupils arose the Turin Academy of Sciences. After Franklin’s death, he turned to the study of natural electricity and there acquired world fame. He corresponded with Franklin and Volta and was admitted to many academies of Europe. He died in Turin in 1781.
Varying, intense, and notably significant was the personal scientific activity of the Piedmontese physicist in several branches of physical-mathematical sciences; yet where he left more lasting traces in the history of science is in the field of electricity and in that of operative geodesy. His studies on electricity, pursued with success and tenacity for more than a quarter of a century, dealt with electrostatics and atmospheric electrical phenomena and are collected in many publications that brought the author very high fame throughout Europe and at times elicited enthusiastic praise from Franklin and Priestley. In electrostatics, he was an advocate of Franklin’s hypothesis of a single electric fluid, in opposition to Symmer’s dualistic theory. As for atmospheric electricity, Beccaria was truly a persistent and bold observer and achieved very notable results. Here too he may be considered a collaborator and continuer of Franklin, as shown by his attitude toward the lightning rod, which he experimented with and improved. A major undertaking that occupied many years of his life was the measurement of the Gradus Taurinensis: after the arduous field operations came long and difficult calculations, so that only in 1774 was the extensive Latin report ready, entitled as above, with a description of the operations themselves, the most significant part of the observations and calculations, and the results. The publication, as is well known, drew numerous criticisms; attempts at revision then followed. Beccaria replied in defense with great acuteness; but it was only half a century after his death that almost full confirmation of his result was to come, and, considering his less perfect instrumental means, full confirmation of his explanation.