Difference between revisions of "John Florio 1553-1625"

Latest revision as of 10:09, 13 June 2024

John FLORIO 1553-1625

Biographical Note

Born in London, son of Michael Florio, an Italian refugee who settled in London in 1550 but fled abroad after Mary's accession; John spent his early years on the continent, including Switzerland and Germany, but was back in London by 1576. He established a career as a language teacher, spending some time in Oxford, but was also useful to Francis Walsingham as a spy in the 1580s. Given that learning Italian was of interest mostly to the upper echelons of society, Florio developed many contacts and patrons among the aristocracy. He was appointed groom of the privy chamber, and private secretary to Queen Anne, in 1604, and gave language tuition to various members of the royal family. His fortunes declined after Anne's death (and the loss of his court position) in 1619, by which time he was already living in poor circumstances in Fulham. He began publishing Italian language manuals in 1578, with Florio his firste fruites, and went on to issue numerous other manuals, dictionaries and translations, including most notably his Worlde of wordes, an English-Italian dictionary first published in 1598 and reissued (expanded) in 1611, and his translation of Montaigne's Essayes (1603). He is remembered as the leading language teacher in the London of his time and an influence on the wider development of English humanism around the turn of the 17th century, and is also the focus of one of the various nonsensical theories about the authorship of Shakespeare.

Books

Florio's publications, and particularly his dictionary, testify to his extensive reading and use of books, and the 1611 New world of words claims to have referred to 252 Italian books in its compilation. Florio evidently built up a significant library of his own, as his will refers to "about 340" Italian, French and Spanish books, which he bequeathed to William Herbert, 3rd earl of Pembroke. His English books (unquantified) were left to his wife Rose, as part of the goods and chattels. Herbert was asked to place the books "in his library, either at Wilton or else at Baynards Castle in London", and he was also asked to see that unpublished manuscript material was printed with the proceeds given to Rose. Florio's unpublished manuscript translation of James I's Basicon doron survives in the British Library (MS Royal 14 A V); it is not clear whether Herbert accepted any books. The Earl did not undertake the publishing of any manuscript material and at least some of them came into the hands of Giovanni Torriano, another Italian teacher in London, who drew on them in his own publications.

Characteristic Markings

A copy of William Thomas, Principal rules of the Italian grammar, 1562, now Pet G.6.40 in Cambridge University Library, has the inscription 'Questo libro e di me Johanno Florio'.

Sources

Gallagher, John, 'Ungratefull Tuscans': teaching Italian in early modern England, The Italianist 36:3 (2016), 392-413.
O'Connor, Desmond. "Florio, John (1553–1625), author and teacher of languages." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Yates, F. John Florio, Cambridge, 1934.
John Florio, Catalogue of English literary manuscripts 1450-1700.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 __NOTITLE__
-===[[Name::John]] [[Name::FLORIO]]  [[Date of Birth::1553]]-[[Date of Death::1625]]===
+===[[name::John]] [[name::FLORIO]]  [[date of birth::1553]]-[[date of death::1625]]===
 ====Biographical Note====
-Born in [[Place of Birth::London]], son of [[Family::Michael Florio]], an Italian refugee who settled in [[Location::London]] in 1550 but fled abroad after [[Associates::Mary I|Mary]]'s accession; John spent his early years on the continent, including [[Location::Switzerland]] and [[Location::Germany]], but was back in [[Location::London]] by 1576.  He established a career as a language [[Occupation::teacher]], spending some time in [[Location::Oxford]], but was also useful to [[Associates::Francis Walsingham]] as a [[Occupation::spy]] in the 1580s.  Given that learning Italian was of interest mostly to the upper echelons of society, Florio developed many contacts and patrons among the aristocracy.  He was appointed [[Occupation::groom of the privy chamber]], and [[Occupation::private secretary]] to [[Associates::Anne of Denmark|Queen Anne]], in 1604, and gave language tuition to various members of [[Associates::the royal family]].  His fortunes declined after [[Associates::Anne of Denmark|Anne]]'s death (and the loss of his court position) in 1619, by which time he was already living in poor circumstances in [[Location::Fulham]].  He began [[Author::publishing]] Italian language manuals in [[Date of Publication::1578]], with [[Book Title::''Florio his firste fruites'']], and went on to issue numerous other manuals, dictionaries and translations, including most notably his [[Book Title::Worlde of wordes]], an English-Italian dictionary first [[Author::published]] in [[Date of Publication::1598]] and reissued (expanded) in 1611, and his [[translator::translation]] of [[Author::Montaigne]]'s [[book Title::''Essayes'']] ([[date of Publication::1603]]).  He is remembered as the leading language [[occupation::teacher]] in the [[location::London]] of his time and an influence on the wider development of English humanism around the turn of the 17th century, and is also the focus of one of the various nonsensical theories about the authorship of [[Author::Shakespeare]].
+Born in [[place of birth::London]], son of [[family::Michael Florio]], an Italian refugee who settled in [[location::London]] in 1550 but fled abroad after [[associates::Mary I|Mary]]'s accession; John spent his early years on the continent, including [[location::Switzerland]] and [[location::Germany]], but was back in [[location::London]] by 1576.  He established a career as a language [[occupation::teacher]], spending some time in [[location::Oxford]], but was also useful to [[associates::Francis Walsingham]] as a [[occupation::spy]] in the 1580s.  Given that learning Italian was of interest mostly to the upper echelons of society, Florio developed many contacts and patrons among the aristocracy.  He was appointed [[occupation::groom of the privy chamber]], and [[occupation::private secretary]] to [[associates::Anne of Denmark|Queen Anne]], in 1604, and gave language tuition to various members of [[associates::the royal family]].  His fortunes declined after [[associates::Anne of Denmark|Anne]]'s death (and the loss of his court position) in 1619, by which time he was already living in poor circumstances in [[location::Fulham]].  He began publishing Italian language manuals in [[date of publication::1578]], with [[book title::''Florio his firste fruites'']], and went on to issue numerous other manuals, dictionaries and translations, including most notably his [[book title::Worlde of wordes]], an English-Italian dictionary first published in [[date of publication::1598]] and reissued (expanded) in 1611, and his [[translator::translation]] of [[author::Montaigne]]'s [[book title::''Essayes'']] ([[date of publication::1603]]).  He is remembered as the leading language [[occupation::teacher]] in the [[location::London]] of his time and an influence on the wider development of English humanism around the turn of the 17th century, and is also the focus of one of the various nonsensical theories about the authorship of [[crossreference::William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]].
 ====Books====
-Florio's publications, and particularly his dictionary, testify to his extensive reading and use of books, and the [[Date of Publication::1611]] [[Book Title::''New world of words'']] claims to have referred to 252 Italian books in its compilation.  Florio evidently built up a significant library of his own, as his will refers to "about 340" [[Language::Italian]], [[Language::French]] and [[Language::Spanish]] books, which he [[Bequest::bequeathed]] to [[Beneficiary::William Herbert]], 3rd [[Personal Title::earl of Pembroke]].  His [[Language::English]] books (unquantified) were [[Bequest::left]] to his [[Beneficiary::wife]] [[Family::Rose Florio|Rose]], as part of the goods and chattels.  [[Associates::William Herbert|Herbert]] was asked to place the books "in his library, either at [[Location::Wilton]] or else at [[Location::Baynards Castle]] in [[Location::London]]", and he was also asked to see that unpublished [[Format::manuscript]] material was [[Format::printed]] with the proceeds given to [[Family::Rose Florio|Rose]].  Florio's unpublished [[Format::manuscript]] [[translator::translation]] of [[Associates::James I]]'s [[Book Title::''Basicon doron'']] survives in the [[Present Repository::British Library]] (MS Royal 14 A V); it is not clear whether [[Associates::William Herbert|Herbert]] accepted any books.  The [[Associates::William Herbert|Earl]] did not undertake the publishing of any [[Format::manuscript]] material and it seems some at least of them came into the hands of [[Subsequent Owner::Giovanni Torriano]], another Italian [[Occupation::teacher]] in [[Location::London]], who drew on them in his own publications.
+Florio's publications, and particularly his dictionary, testify to his extensive reading and use of books, and the [[date of publication::1611]] [[book title::''New world of words'']] claims to have referred to 252 Italian books in its compilation.  Florio evidently built up a significant library of his own, as his will refers to "about 340" [[language::Italian]], [[language::French]] and [[language::Spanish]] books, which he [[bequest::bequeathed]] to [[crossreference::William Herbert 1580-1630|William Herbert]], 3rd [[personal title::earl of Pembroke]].  His [[language::English]] books (unquantified) were [[bequest::left]] to his [[beneficiary::wife]] [[family::Rose Florio|Rose]], as part of the goods and chattels.  [[associates::William Herbert|Herbert]] was asked to place the books "in his library, either at [[location::Wilton]] or else at [[location::Baynards Castle]] in [[location::London]]", and he was also asked to see that unpublished [[format::manuscript]] material was printed with the proceeds given to [[family::Rose Florio|Rose]].  Florio's unpublished [[format::manuscript]] [[translator::translation]] of [[associates::James I]]'s [[book title::''Basicon doron'']] survives in the [[present repository ::British Library]] (MS Royal 14 A V); it is not clear whether [[associates::William Herbert|Herbert]] accepted any books.  The [[associates::William Herbert|Earl]] did not undertake the publishing of any [[format::manuscript]] material and at least some of them came into the hands of [[subsequent owner::Giovanni Torriano]], another Italian [[occupation::teacher]] in [[location::London]], who drew on them in his own publications.
 ====Characteristic Markings====
-None of Florio's books have been identified.
+A copy of William Thomas, ''Principal rules of the Italian grammar'', 1562, now Pet G.6.40 in Cambridge University Library, has the inscription 'Questo libro e di me Johanno Florio'.
 ====Sources====
 <div id="sourcelist">
+*Gallagher, John, 'Ungratefull Tuscans': teaching Italian in early modern England, ''The Italianist'' 36:3 (2016), 392-413.
 *O'Connor, Desmond. [https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/9758 "Florio, John (1553–1625), author and teacher of languages."] ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''.
 *Yates, F. ''John Florio'', Cambridge, 1934.
+*[https://celm-ms.org.uk/introductions/FlorioJohn.html John Florio, ''Catalogue of English literary manuscripts 1450-1700''].
 </div>
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 [[Category:AuthorsPoets]]
+[[Category:All Owners]]