BOFFITO, GIUSEPPE. - Barnabite. Man of letters, bibliographer, historian of science, Dante scholar, and erudite scholar, born at Gavi (Alessandria) on July 3, 1869, died in Florence, at the "Alla Querce" college, on July 16, 1944. Having completed his studies among the Barnabites and graduated in literature (1896), he taught Italian and history in the colleges of his Order, first in Moncalieri, then for forty years in Florence, also directing their respective meteorological observatories. Following the restless "nature of his spirit," as he wrote of himself, he ranged as a historian, critic, and bibliographer in the fields of literature (especially Dante studies and philology), history, and various sciences, above all meteorology and aviation. He has noteworthy studies on the "book" and on the art of printing. But his erudite gifts excel in his monumental works of aeronautical, Galilean, and Barnabite bibliography.
He belonged to many academies, including the Pontifical Academy of the New Lynxes and the Accademia della Crusca. He collaborated on some forty literary and scientific journals.
bibliografico: by G. Fumagalli, edited by G. Boffito and G. De Bernard, Firenze 1940, in-8ª, pp. 450; Bibliografia galileiana (1896-1940), Supplemento alla Bibliogr. galileiana di A. Carli e A. Favaro, Roma 1942; Biblioteca aeronautica italiana illustrata, followed by the Primo supplemento decennale (1927-36), Firenze 1929 and 1937. - Studi: F. M. Parenti, G. B. L'uomo, le opere, ivi 1947.