Daniello Bartoli

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Daniello Bartoli (1608 - 1685), Italian Jesuit priest, was born in Ferrara and entered the Society of Jesus in 1623.

Debarred from the foreign mission field, he attained high distinction as a preacher and as a teacher of rhetoric in Genoa, Florence and Rome.

Bartoli's first work, L'huomo di lettere (1645) was a Baroque best seller and made him internationally famous. It was translated into many languages as a counterblast to the widespread reading of romances. As a consequence he was appointed the order's official historian by the Jesuit general. His major work, a centenary history of his order, Istoria della Compagnia di Gesu (Rome, 1650-1673), in 6 vols., begins with a biography of Ignatius Loyola and is particularly informative on the early missions of the Jesuits in Asia, Japan, and China. Later in life he wrote a number of interesting scientific treatises and spiritual works and served a term as Rector of the Collegio Romano. He died in Rome.

A collected edition of his works, in 12 vols., was published by Manetti at Turin, 1825-1856; another in 50 vols. at Florence in 1826.