Editing Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti (section)

==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. 

In 1737, he enrolled the [[University of Turin]], where he attended the lectures given at  by Girolamo Tagliazucchi. The following year, Baretti moved to [[Venice]], where he made the acquaintance of the young [[Gasparo Gozzi]]. In 1740 he moved to Milan. Here he became a member of the prominent Accademia dei Trasformati and made the acquaintance of [[Pietro Verri]] and [[Giuseppe Parini]]. While in Milan he studied Latin and translated into Italian [[Ovid]]'s ''[[Remedia Amoris]]'' and ''[[Amores (Ovid)|Amores]]'', which he published more than ten years later, in 1752 and 1754. 

in January 1751, Baretti left Italy for a nine-year stay in London, during which he taught Italian. One of his pupils was [[Charlotte Lennox]], who introduced him to British intellectual circles. In this period Baretti made friends with several prominent English intellectuals, including [[Henry Fielding]], [[Joshua Reynolds|Sir Joshua Reynolds]] (who later painted Baretti's portrait), [[David Garrick]], and [[Samuel Johnson]], whom Baretti very much admired. Among works connected with his teaching, a successful ''Dictionary of the English and Italian languages'' (1760) enabled him to return to Italy, through [[Portugal]], [[Spain]], and [[France]]. The first two volumes of his lively, outspoken account of the journey appeared as ''Lettere familiari ai suoi tre fratelli'' in 1762 and 1763, but publication of the last two volumes was forbidden by Venetian censorship. In 1763–4 he published in Venice the [[literary journal]] ''La Frusta letteraria'', through which he aimed to modernize Italian literature with stinging criticism of current frivolous or antiquated books.

When ''La Frusta'' too was suppressed in January 1765 , Baretti returned to England, where he was welcomed back by his old friends, especially Samuel Johnson, whith whom he had kept up a correspondence during his stay in Italy. Johnson introduced him to [[Oliver Goldsmith]], [[James Boswell]], and [[Edmund Burke]]. In 1773, Baretti became the Italian language tutor of Hetty, one of the daughters of [[Hester Thrale]]. For his pupil he wrote in 1775 a delightful ''Easy Phraseology for the Use of Young Ladies, who Intend to Learn … Italian''. He became a frequent visitor at the home of Hester Thrale, and his name occurs repeatedly in Boswell's ''Life''.

To answer Samuel Sharp's slanderous ''Letters from Italy'', he published ''An Account of the Manners and Customs of Italy, with Observations on the Mistakes of Some Travellers, with Regard to That Country'' (1768). The book was so popular that a second edition was published in 1769. In this and other works Baretti stimulated interest in and understanding of Italian literature and culture. 

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. Many of his British friends gave evidence in his favour at the trial and testified to Baretti's good character and quiet lifestyle. Hon. Mr. Beauclerck described him as a gentleman of letters and a studious man. Sir Joshua Reynolds said he was a man with great humanity and "very active in endeavouring his friends", he outlined his sober disposition, saying that he never drank more than three glasses with him and he added: "I never heard of his being in passions or quarrelling". Doctor Johnson described him as very diligent and peaceable. Edmund Burke claimed he was an ingenious man, "a man of remarkable humanity; a thorough good-natured man", whereas David Garrick said of him he was a man of great probity and morals.

The trial eventually resulted in Baretti's acquittal on the grounds of self-defence. Baretti was extremely satisfied with the outcome of the trial, in particular with the kind demonstration of affection he received from his friends, so much that he felt himself even more connected with England than before, a country which had given him justice and real friendship. He later revealed to his friend Lord Charlemont that "those I had about me did their part so well that they have made me an Englishman forever".<ref>O'Connor, Desmond (2004).  ''Baretti, Giuseppe Marc'Antonio(1719–1789).'' In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/1367, accessed 11 Dec 2015]</ref>

That same year he was appointed Secretary to the [[Royal Academy of Arts]].{{sfn|Piccioni|1930}} He published a translation of the entire ''Lettere familiari'' as ''A Journey from London to Genoa, through England, Portugal, Spain, and France'' (1770), and an edition of [[Niccolò Machiavelli]]'s works, with an important Preface (1772). His most mature works were ''Discours sur Shakespeare et sur Monsieur de Voltaire'' (1777), in which, following Johnson's ideas, he brilliantly defended the free inventions and powerful genius of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] against Voltaire's narrow-minded criticism, and ''Scelta di lettere familiari fatta per uso degli studiosi di lingua italiana'' (1779) – letters attributed to fictitious authors, which beyond any didactic purpose are a kind of intellectual autobiography, showing the conversion of an Italian conservative to more liberal, modern English ideas.

Baretti's ''Strictures on Signora Piozzi's Publication of Doctor Johnson's Letters'' (1788) make him the most probable author of ''The Sentimental Mother'', an anonymous comedy satirizing Thrale Piozzi, published just after his death.

Baretti died in London in May, 1789. He was buried in Marylebone Chapel with a monument by [[Thomas Banks (sculptor)|Thomas Banks]].<ref>Rupert, Gunnis (1968). ''Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660–1851.'' London: The Abbey Library</ref>