"In Supreme Dignitatis...": Per la storia dell'Universita di Ferrara, 1391-1991.

"In supreme dignitatis...": Per la storia dell'Universita di Ferrara 1391-1991. A cura di Patrizia Castelli. (Pubblicazioni dell'Universita di Ferrara, 3.) Florence: Leo S. Olschki, 1995. 8 pls. + xxviii + 615 pp. IL115,000. ISBN: 88222-4312-9.

The University of Ferrara was founded in 1391, but barely existed until Marquis Leonello d'Este (with the help of Guarino Guarini) revived it in 1442. From that point on, it had a continuous life as a second-rank university. Although Ferrara had some important professors, it was best known, perhaps unfairly, as a place where one could get a quick and cheap doctorate. After studying elsewhere, students came to Ferrara and in a few weeks' time obtained doctorates at considerably less expense than at more famous universities. For example, Nicolaus Copernicus studied at Bologna 1496-1501, at Padua 1501-03, but obtained his doctorate in canon law at Ferrara on 31 May 1503.

The six-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the University of Ferrara has sparked a revival of interest in that institution during the Renaissance. The renewed interest has produced two excellent and substantial volumes: La rinascita del sapere. Libri e maestri dello studio ferrarese, ed. Patrizia Castelli (Venice: Marsilio Editori, 1991), and I maestri di medicina ed arti dell'Universita di Ferrara (1391-1950), ed. Franceso Raspadori (Florence: Leo S. Olschki, 1991), a valuable listing of all the known arts and medicine professors at Ferrara.

"In supreme dignitatis" publishes the papers of a conference held at Ferrara 15-19 October 1991, again celebrating the sixth centenary. In addition to the introductory remarks by various dignitaries, the volume contains thirty-three papers whose chronological scope ranges from the late fourteenth century to the Fascist era. Dante Balboni begins by reviewing the educational institutions at Ferrara in the thirteenth century, finding Dominican and Franciscan studia (but not studia generalia) and a cathedral school. The next two papers discuss the 1391-1442 period, about which little is known. Antonio Samaritani shows that there was an embryonic faculty of theology in 1391, but little if any arts instruction in the early years. By contrast, four experts in law serving the commune became professors of the university in 1402, a novel way of creating a faculty. Teodosio Lombardi provides additional information on the faculty of theology, including the information that the first doctorate of theology was awarded in 1403. Armando F. Verde discusses the movement of students and professors between Ferrara and Florence in the late fifteenth century. Students often moved from Ferrara to Florence, but not vice-versa. Andrea Romano discusses Sicilians who went to Ferrara to study. The first Sicilian to obtain a law degree at Ferrara did so in 1404, followed by over one hundred compatriots through 1555.

A number of articles deal with humanists and other scholars who had some connection with the University of Ferrara. Gianfranco Fioravanti discusses Bernardo Lapini (1418-76), a professor of medicine from Siena who taught one year at Ferrara and authored a humanist commentary. Claudio Moreschini analyzes the notion of imitatione in Celio Calcagnini. Luigi Tondo describes Calcagnini's interest in numismatics. Eugene E. Ryan explains Bartolomeo Cavalcanti's view of invention and Vincenzo Maggi's analysis of catharsis. Francesco Tateo deals with Antonio Galateo, while Luigi Piacente analyzes Battista Guarini's literary and humanistic works, concluding that the young Guarini was a competent humanist, but not the equal of his father, the famous Guarino Guarini. Cesare Vasoli offers a short piece on Francesco Patrizi and his principle of the one. Alberto Lupano discusses the teaching and a work of the legist Aimone Cravetta (1504-69) who taught at Ferrara, 1548-49. Gino Benzoni notes that Ferrarese professors often participated in literary academies. Adriano Prosperi attempts to determine if Elio Giulio Crotto, a humanist pre-university teacher, was a follower of the heretic Giorgio Siculo. Several articles deal with the period after 1600. For example, Giancarlo Pellegrini examines what Ferrarese professors had to say about corporativism and corporativist law in the 1930s.

Although there is valuable material in this volume, much of it is supplementary in nature. That is, the articles deal with topics of limited scope, such as the minor works of professors. There are also more typographical errors than there should be, and the volume lacks an index. Despite these drawbacks, this collaborative work adds to our knowledge of the scholars and students of a university which is becoming better known.

PAUL F. GRENDLER University of Toronto