Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/980

CAS Della Casa pronounced before the senate two of his most celebrated orations. In 1544 he was raised to the archbishopric of Benevento as the reward of his diplomatic success. Involved in the disgrace of his early patron, Farnese, and obliged to quit Rome, he sought consolation in his studies at a small villa in the province of Treviso. In this retreat he remained till the elevation of his protector to the pontifical throne, under the name of Paul IV., when he was raised to the dignity of secretary of state. His licentious life, or perhaps rather the immoral character of his works alone prevented his being dignified with the purple. Both in prose and verse his style is singularly felicitous. "Della Casa," says Gioberti, "is the first of lyric poets who abandoned the servile imitation of Laura's bard, and sang of love in strains never heard before, combining the wisdom of a philosopher with the graceful melody of a poet." His principal prose works are—"Il Galateo," and a treatise in Latin entitled "De Officiis," of which he left an Italian translation. All his works are considered classic, and his name has been enrolled amongst those of the greatest writers of the sixteenth century.—A. C. M.  CASABIANCA,, a French naval officer born in 1755; died in 1798. He entered the service young, and soon acquired such a reputation for bravery, that he was elected a deputy to the national convention, and afterwards became a member of the council of five hundred under the directory. In the French expedition to Egypt he was appointed flag-captain to Admiral Brueys; and in the battle of Aboukir was mortally wounded by a splinter at the time the Orient caught fire. His son, a boy of ten years of age, refused to abandon his father when the opportunity was offered of escaping in a small boat, and perished with him in the explosion of the ship.—J. T.  CASAL or CAZAL,, a Portuguese geographer of the seventeenth century. He took orders, and went while still young to Brazil. His book, "Corografia Brasilica," has not yet been superseded. Casal spent much labour on it, diligently examining records, and gathering information from the most recent travellers; its accuracy has been recognized by Humboldt.—R. M., A.  CASANOVA, : this artist, brother of Giacomo, was born in London in 1732. At a very early period of his life he was sent to Venice to study under Francesco Simonini, a painter of battles in the style of Borgonone. Casanova imitated his master—himself an imitator. But his imitative skill was leavened by a considerable creative talent of his own. He painted landscapes bloody with battle, and landscapes benign with peace. He painted marine and pastoral subjects. Some years of his life he spent at Dresden; some at Paris, where his reputation spread, and he was received into the Academy. Subsequently he appeared at Vienna, where his works were highly accounted, and he etched royal plates. He died in 1805.—W. T.  CASANOVA,, a notorious adventurer, born at Venice in 1725. The family of Casanova was of Spanish origin, and, from the fourteenth century, addicted to the same irregular habits which were so perfectly developed in the famous Giacomo. Casanova began life as an ecclesiastic, but soon quitted the church to enter on his vagrant career. A recital of his adventures, which he has minutely detailed in his "Memoirs," is here impossible. Their name is legion. Some of the incidents taken by themselves—such as his imprisonment at Venice and subsequent escape—are surpassingly interesting; but the effect of the whole is that of a dreary record of repulsive scoundrelism. His life was a succession of intrigues, impostures, duels, imprisonments, escapes, arrests, amours, brawls, conjurings, and debaucheries. And yet, strange to say, he found favour for a short time almost wherever he came; managed to get himself presented at most of the European courts, and lived familiarly with the noble and learned. He could hoodwink a marquise d'Urfé, talk learnedly with a d'Alembert, or bandy irreverent sarcasms with a Voltaire. The resources of his consummate impudence were boundless, provided only the liberty of moving about from capital to capital were allowed him. Casanova reminds us of Cagliostro, although he deals less in the black art, and has scarcely any of the archquack's solemn pretence of respectability, trusting more in his native impudence and swiftness of heels. The last years of his life were spent—discontentedly, as might be expected—at the castle of a Bohemian count. It is uncertain whether he died in 1799 or 1803. One of his last sayings was—"I have lived a philosopher, but I die a christian."—R. M., A.  CASAS. See.  CASATI, the name of four musicians much esteemed in their day:—

, was an organist and composer at Milan in 1600, first at the church of St. Maria della Passione, and afterwards at that of St. Marco; his compositions are all ecclesiastical.

, lived at Venice in 1650; he was distinguished as a vocal composer, and his works, though not all designed for the church, are all of a sacred character; this makes it remarkable, considering the severe style then employed for religious music, that many of his canzonets are written in triple measure, which at that period was regarded as light, if not trivial.

, was mæstro di capella at Mantua in the middle of the sixteenth century; he produced many sacred compositions for one or more voices.

, lived at Milan in the latter half of the seventeenth century; he was organist successively of the churches of S. Fidele and S. Sepolcro, and finally of the cathedral; he held this last office in 1667, when he was one of the umpires who elected the celebrated San Romano to be organist of St. Celso. Maria Anna, queen of Spain, was so pleased with an opera of this composer, that she offered him an appointment at her court, which, however, he did not accept.—G. A. M.  CASAUBON,, one of those great scholars of the middle ages who studied classical literature with an affection and self-devotion almost apostolic in its intensity and fervour. He was born at Geneva, February 8, 1559, of a proscribed family from Dauphiné; and when a young man of twenty-four succeeded Portus as professor of Greek in the university of that city. His anxiety to be worthy of his position as a classical scholar, was sufficiently pure and noble to partake of a certain religious character. In 1586 he married Florence, daughter of the eccentric printer and scholar, Henri Estienne (Henry Stephens), and from time to time issued editions and translations of Greek and Latin authors, with notes and commentaries. In 1596 he was appointed professor of Greek and belles-lettres at Montpellier; but in consequence of miserable treatment as to pecuniary matters, he accepted an invitation to Paris given him by Henry IV., who wished to place him in one of the university chairs. Henry, however, on account of the opposition raised because of Casaubon's protestant opinions, ultimately substituted the appointment of royal librarian. The scholarship of Casaubon was varied, and probably no man has published commentaries on a greater number of authors; but his chief delight was in Greek. The Greek language may, indeed, be called le démon familier of his life, solacing his worst troubles, and creating his most grateful pleasures.—The scholars of the middle ages may be arranged in several distinct classes. Around Cardinal Bessarion, in the fourteenth century, may be grouped those who dug out from the hard soil of oblivion the remains of antiquity, as a Layard might excavate Nineveh. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, we may group around Erasmus those who loved the ancient spirit more than the letter, and sought to breathe into the present the glory of the past, and rival classical productions upon actually existent grounds. These men were less famous as excavators than as new builders upon old foundations. Around Casaubon, at the end of the sixteenth century, may be grouped scholars who combined both these previous tendencies, and who sought by original critical commentary to give life to the excavated remains. The bible had not yet gained its commanding authority over the critical intellect of Europe, although that time drew near; and Casaubon once or twice turned from classical to scriptural commentary. This tendency occurred, however, after a severe illness, and did not hold its ground when returning health gave strength to his natural tastes. His memory was wonderful, and he could correct author by author with apt quotations; while he possessed that sagacity in the detection of textual corruptions, which in the true scholar is a fine instinct; and he must be numbered amongst those who carried into philology that self-same rigorous method of observation which was brought by Bacon to bear upon the study of nature. Casaubon's devotion to study was an enthusiasm so single-minded as to be lovable. In a rude and troubled time how could learning have lived had it not thus been served with a completeness of self-surrender? The life of Casaubon, in relation to his age, may have been one-sided <section end="980Zcontin" />