GIOVANNI CÀRCANO, Giulio. — Writer, born in Milan on 7 Aug. 1812, died on 29 Aug. at Lesa in 1884. Having graduated in Pavia, he took part in the political life of ’48 as envoy to Paris of the provisional Milanese government to obtain military aid from France. With the ascendancy of the Austrians in Lombardy, he was forced to remain in exile for two years.
His work as a writer, in a minor key, is in the Manzonian climate like that of Tommaso Grossi, with whom he was friends. In his four novels: Angiola Maria, Il manoscritto di un vice-curato, Damiano, Gobrio e Camilla, the themes of fatherland, family, and religion prevail. In ’47 he began a short poem: S. Paolo, to narrate the life of the Apostle; in ’66 he dedicated to Manzoni, his intimate friend, Il Libro di Dio, which contains philosophical reflections, religious meditations, and a paraphrase of two entire episodes from the Gospel. He also attempted verse versions of Holy Scripture: Fiori biblici (Florence 1881). In opposition to the verist school of Guerrini and Praga, he confessed to having composed his verse poems: Dolinda di Montorfano, dedicated to Zanella, I fanciulli di Valzugana, Gli orfani to show how scenes of misery can be portrayed «without exposing what there is of vice and turpitude in life». Among his prose works, mention should be made of the commemoration of Manzoni, and his correspondence: 1827-84. He was a good connoisseur of foreign literatures, especially English literature; for about forty years he worked on the translation of Shakespeare’s works (12 vols., Milan 1875-82). The complete edition of his Works, in 10 vols., was published in Milan (1892-96).