Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti (24 April 1719, Turin, Piedmont – 5 May 1789, London) was an Italian literary critic, poet, writer, translator, linguist and author of two influential language-translation dictionaries. During his years in England he was often known as Joseph Baretti. Baretti's life was marked by controversies, to the point that he had to leave Italy, for England, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Biography
Baretti was intended by his father for the profession of law, but at the age of sixteen fled from Turin and went to Guastalla, where he was for some time employed in a mercantile house. He devoted himself to the study of literature and criticism, in which he became an expert, though his writings were so controversial that he had to leave Italy. For many years he led a wandering life, supporting himself chiefly by his writings. At length he arrived in London, where he remained for the remainder of his life (when not travelling). He was appointed Secretary to the Royal Academy of Arts, and became acquainted with Samuel Johnson, Garrick and others of that society.
Baretti was a frequent visitor at the home of Hester Thrale, and his name occurs repeatedly in Boswell's Life. In 1769 Baretti was tried for murder after inflicting a mortal wound with his fruit knife on a man who had assaulted him on the street. Johnson and others gave evidence in his favour at the trial, which resulted in Baretti's acquittal.
He died in London in May, 1789. He was buried in Marylebone Chapel with a monument by Thomas Banks.
Works
Baretti's first notable work was the Italian Library (1757), a useful catalogue of the lives and works of several Italian authors. The Lettere famigliari, giving an account of his travels through England, Portugal, Spain, and France during the years 1761–1765, were well received, and when afterwards published in English (4 vols., 1770), were highly commended by Johnson.
Baretti was an enemy of the English Hispanist John Bowle, and published a scathing and personal attack on him: Tolondron. Speeches to John Bowle about his edition of Don Quixote, together with some account of Spanish literature.
While in Italy on his travels Baretti started a journal of literary criticism, titled Frusta letteraria (Literary Scourge). The publication met with considerable difficulties and was soon discontinued. His many other works include a Dictionary and Grammar of the Italian Language, a similar Dictionary of the Spanish Language, and dissertations on Shakespeare and Voltaire. His collected works were published at Milan in 1838.
The words of the recantation attributed to Galileo, "eppur si muove" (meaning "nevertheless it moves"), were first set down by Baretti in his Italian Library. This record was published some 125 years after Galileo is purported to have made the statement sotto voce (under his breath).
Murder trial
On 6 October 1769, Baretti was involved in a scuffle at the Haymarket, an area which was notorious as a place of prostitution and frequented by footpads, with many coffeehouses and shops. This quarrel caused the death of a man, Evan Morgan. In a trial at the Old Bailey on 18 October 1769, Baretti was accused of having stabbed Morgan and was charged with murder.
Being a wealthy man, Baretti did not have to suffer very unpleasant conditions. After having been heard by Sir John Fielding, he had been sent to Tothill Fields Bridewell till they could gather more information about the conditions of Evan Morgan, who died the day following the scuffle. Baretti did not walk to the prison, instead a coach was called and once there he paid for a private room, where he had also some food and drinks. This was not the case of ordinary poor people, who normally had to suffer much worse and primitive treatments, being pushed into an overcrowded cell, without much provision.
In this trial, Baretti was called with the English name Joseph. Being Italian, he had the right to be tried by a jury of half foreigners, which he refused, as we read from the first lines of The Proceedings, so that he was normally tried by a jury of Englishmen, thus demonstrating intentionally his regard towards the English justice.
It is necessary to consider that most information about the trial come from The Proceedings, a publication which from 1664 to 1913 took note and told all (or at least most) of the trials which took place at the Old Bailey. However, in these accounts and transcriptions of what was said in court we do not find everything. Many details are missing, therefore these are not to be intended as fully and complete accounts of trials.
