r hits are among the hackneyed felicities of
literature. To escape, it is said, from the hostility of those whom his
shafts had wounded, he returned to Venice, and there, according to the
register in the parochial church of Sta Maria Formosa, died of colic,
accompanied with fever, on the 16th of November 1613. It was asserted,
indeed, by contemporary writers that he had been beaten to death with
sand-bags by a band of Spanish bravadoes, but the story seems without
foundation. At the same time, it is evident from the _Pietra del
Paragone_, which appeared after his death in 1615, that whatever the
feelings of the Spaniards towards him, he cherished against them
feelings of the bitterest hostility. The only government, indeed, which
is exempt from his attacks is that of Venice, a city for which he seems
to have had a special affection.

The _Ragguagli_, first printed in 1612, has frequently been
republished. The _Pietra_ has been translated into French, German,
English and Latin; the English translator was Henry, earl of Monmouth,
his version being entitled _The Politicke Touchstone_ (London, 1674).
Another posthumous publication of Boccalini was his _Commentarii sopra
Cornelia Tacito_ (Geneva, 1669). Many of his manuscripts are preserved
still unprinted.

BOCCHERINI, LUIGI (1743-1805), Italian composer, son of an Italian
bass-player, was born at Lucca, and studied at Rome, where he became a
fine 'cellist, and soon began to compose. He returned to Lucca, where
for some years he was prominent as a player, and there he produced two
oratorios and an opera. He toured in Europe, and in 1768 was received in
Paris by Gossec and his circle with great enthusiasm, his instrumental
pieces being highly applauded; and from 1769 to 1785 he held the post of
"composer and virtuoso" to the king of Spain's brother, the infante
Luis, at Madrid. He afterwards became "chamber-composer" to King
Frederick William II. of Prussia, till 1797, when he returned to Spain.
He died at Madrid on the 28th of May 1805.

As an admirer of Haydn, and a voluminous writer of instrumental music,
chiefly for the violoncello, Boccherini represents the effect of the
rapid progress of a new art on a mind too refined to be led into
crudeness, too inventive and receptive to neglect any of the new
artistic resources within its cognizance, and too superficial to grasp
their real meaning. His mastery of the violoncello, and his advanced
sense of be