GIORNALE DEI LETTERATI. - It is the first Italian literary periodical, whose publication began in Rome in 1668 on the initiative of the abbot Francesco Nazzari, professor of philosophy at the Sapienza. It was printed by Nicol'Angelo Tinassi.
Modeled on the Journal des savants of Paris, it has a predominantly scientific character and is entirely lacking in political news. Italian and foreign works are summarized and reviewed by specialist contributors; there are articles on astronomy, art, ecclesiastical matters, medicine and the physical and mechanical sciences, with tables and illustrations. Extracts from Italian and foreign journals are also numerous. The first issue is dated 28 Jan. 1668 and the last 30 Dec. 1679. The journal came out at the end of the month, generally in 16 pages; it achieved great success and was immediately imitated in Italy: thus the abbot Benedetto Bacchini published from 1680 to 1690 in Parma a G. dei l. which he then continued in Modena (1692-95).
For the years 1676 to 1679 we have in Rome two G. dei l., since Nazzari in 1676 changed printing house: in fact at the end of the issue, beginning with no. 3 (1676), we read: « In Roma, per il Mascardi ». His collaborator Giustino Ciampini, after forming a new society of scholars, gave life to a second G. dei l. which continued in the identical manner, in Tinassi's printing house, until 1681 under the direction of its founder and then, for another two years, under that of Francesco Maria Vittori. It did not, however, come out regularly. As for its content, this journal is very similar to Nazzari's; however, the philosophical and literary material, especially foreign, is increased: for this reason, perhaps, it met more with the public's taste.
Bibliography3 works
Oslavia Vercillo