1642-1707.
Vincenzo da Filicaja was born at Florence, on the 30th of December,
1642. The families of both his parents were noble; his mother being the
daughter of Christofano Spini, one of the most distinguished families of
Tuscany. His father educated him with care, and he attended the public
schools of Florence. He gave early token of his literary and poetic
genius: his memory was tenacious, and his industry indefatigable; while
the seriousness of his disposition rendered retirement and study natural
and easy to him. Perceiving his inclination for learning, his father
sent him to the university of Pisa, to fit him for pursuing the legal
profession. Filicaja attended the lectures of the professors on this
subject; yet he could not induce himself to bestow his whole time on the
law, but applied himself also to philosophy and theology, and to the
imbuing himself with a perfect knowledge of the Latin and Italian
languages. He was naturally inclined to piety, and spent much of his
time in prayer and devout exercises. His habits were regulated by strict
principles of morality; and so devoted was he to the cultivation of his
intellect, that he always rose two hours before dawn, finding his mind
clearer, and more capable of grappling with the abstruse subjects of his
contemplation, in the early hours of morning.
While yet a student at Pisa, when on a visit to his home during the
vacation, he fell in love; and his poetic talent first developed itself
in verses addressed to the beautiful and noble girl who was the object
of his affection. She died soon after, and he lamented her death in
poetry; but the exact moral discipline to which he subjected his
inclinations reproached him for giving himself up to the influence of
passion; and he burnt all his love poetry, and made a resolution, which
he kept to the end of his life, of dedicating his genius to the
celebration only of moral and sacred subjects.
After a residence of five years at Pisa, having taken the degree of
doctor of laws, he returned to Florence, and was placed under Giovanni
Federighi, a jurisconsult of eminence, that he might add to his
theoretical, a practical knowledge of law. At the age of thirty-two, he
married Anna, the daughter of the marchese Capponi. Soon after his
father died; and, freed from all restraint, he followed the bent of his
disposition, by retiring into the country, where he spent the greater
part of each year in domestic retirement, devoting himself to the
education of his two sons.
Hitherto his poetic merits were unknown beyond the limits of a small
circle of friends; but public events called his genius to higher
flights. The Turkish army overrunning Hungary, laid siege to Vienna, and
filled Christendom with alarm. The enthusiastic piety of Filicaja added
to the natural disquietude inspired by such a disaster; and while the
fate of the war was in suspense, and afterwards, when victory drove the
infidels from the gates of the capital of Austria, he poured out his
terrors and his exulting triumph in odes, which breathe a pure and
elevated lyric spirit.
At the time when he wrote, Italian poetry had received a check from that
unfortunate propensity men have to shackle the free course of genius by
rules and precedent. There was a distinction made between the poetic and
prosaic style; the former was founded upon Petrarch, and it became a law
to use no expressions but such as had his authority. The language of
Italian verse was thus becoming, as it were, a dead idiom; repeating
itself, and incapable of any original expressions. Filicaja disdained
these shackles, and revivified his poetic diction by transfusing into it
many elevated and energetic modes of speech, hitherto reserved for prose
only. Facility, dignity, and clearness are his characteristics; and the
grandeur of his ideas gives force to the originality of his expressions;
which, emanating spontaneously, as they did, from a mind full of his
subject, found an echo in the hearts of his readers.
His friends alone had hitherto been aware of his talent; but the
enthusiasm they felt on reading these spirited odes led them to give
copies; and they got into the hands of those princes who, as the leaders
of the armies against the Turks, were celebrated in them. One of his
finest odes he had addressed to John, king of Poland; who acknowledged
the honour in letters full of praises and thanks. Christina, queen of
Sweden, displayed in a more kind and liberal manner her admiration:
hearing that Filicaja had two sons, she insisted upon providing for
their education; declaring that she would bring them up as her own
children. She showed herself so generous, that the poet was accustomed
to say, that he could not look on his home and family without perceiving
the marks of her favour. While her modesty was such, that she insisted
that her bounty should be kept a secret; declaring she was ashamed it
should be known that she did so little for a man, whom she esteemed so
much; and her benevolence remained unknown till after her death.
Filicaja's life was not, however, wholly prosperous: on the death of
Christina, he became involved in pecuniary embarrassments, and he was
attacked by a dangerous malady. He lost, also, his eldest son, who,
since the queen's death, had been appointed page of honour to the grand
duke of Tuscany. The high opinion entertained of him by Cosmo III.
extricated him from a part of his difficulties. This prince named him to
the command of the city of Volterra. Ancient feuds and old and almost
irremediable abuses of various kinds, afflicted the town; and it
required all the influence which Filicaja obtained by his justice, his
benevolence, and urbanity to put an end to these evils. Volterra enjoyed
tranquillity and plenty under his direction; trade and the arts
flourished; and this venerable city was restored to a portion of its
former splendour: he thus became so dear to the citizens, that they
twice petitioned the grand duke to continue him in the government. Their
request was accorded; and when, at last, he was recalled, he carried
with him the universal regret.
On his removal from Volterra, he was, for two years, governor of
Pisa,--a situation of high trust. On his return to Florence, he filled
several law offices of great power and emolument. He was popular and
beloved throughout: equitable, but benevolent; diligent and
conscientious, his virtues were adorned by his pleasing and affable
manners. His piety caused him to devote much of his leisure to
devotional exercises; and his taste led him to cultivate poetry. His
industrious habits enabled him to compose a great deal when his time was
otherwise much taken up by his public duties. He wrote much in Latin, a
small portion only of which has been published; and it displays a deep
knowledge and command of that language. He employed himself also in
correcting and adding to his Italian poetry. He was a severe critic on
his own works; and yet, mistrusting his judgment, he submitted them to
the further censorship of four selected friends. He was much beloved, as
well as admired, by all who knew him; and belonged to the Della Crusca
academy, and to the Arcadian,--of both of which he was the brightest
ornament. His last work was an "Ode to the Virgin," which occupied him
but a few days before his death. Filicaja was not only devout, but a
rigid catholic. One of the acts of his life previous to entering on a
new career, had been a pilgrimage to Loretto; and, in his dying moments,
a picture of the Virgin excited his pious and poetic thoughts. There is
great spirit and sweetness in this ode, in which he recurs to the love
of his earlier days; and how, on losing the object, he transferred his
devotion, entire and for ever, to the mother of his Saviour.
While thus employed, he was seized by an inflammation of his lungs. His
religious faith supported him in his sufferings, and did not forsake him
to the last. He died on the 24th of September, 1707, at the age of
sixty-five. He was buried in his family tomb in the church of San Piero,
at Florence.