SEGNERI
683
SEGNI
where he established missions for the Indians. In
1877 he again repaired to Alaska, and evangelized in
succession St. Michael's, Nulato, Ulukuk, Kaltag,
Nuklukayet, and various other points along the
Yukon. He did not return to Victoria before 20 Sept.,
1878. He was then named coadjutor to the Arch-
bi.shop of Oregon City, whom he succeeded 12 Dec,
1880. After meritorious apostolic labours in his new
field of action, as no titular could be found for his
old diocese of Victoria, he generously volunteered to
return thither, with a view to following up his work
in Alaska. This act of disinterestedness deeply
touched Leo XIII, and on 2 April, 1885, Archbishop
Seghers again took possession of his former see.
Whites and Indians then received the benefit of his
ministrations, and two missions were founded (1885)
in Alaska, one at Sitka, the other at Juneau. But in
the course of his fifth expedition to that distant land
he was heartlessly murdered by a white companion
named Fuller, whose mind had become more or less
unbalanced under the stress of the hardships of the
journey and the evil counsels of an American who
foresaw in the coming of the two Jesuit priests the
archbishop had brought with him an implied re-
proach. The remains of the bishop were ultimately
transferred to Victoria.
De Baets, Mgr. Seghers, I'Apdlre de V Alaska (Paris, 1896); MoRiCE, History of the Catholic Church in Western Canada (Toronto, 1910).
A. G. MORICE.
Segneri, Paolo, the elder, Italian Jesuit, preacher, missionary, ascetical writer, b. at Nettuno, 21 March (cf. Massei) 1624; d. at Rome, 9 Dec, 1694. He studied at the Roman College, and in 1637 en- tered the Society of Jesus, not without opposition from his father. The eloquent Olivawas his first master in the re- ligious life; Sforza Pallavicini taught him theology. Under such guides his virtues and talents developed 1o maturity. He lectured on hu- manities for sev- eral years, and was ordained priest in 1653. By a careful study of Scripture, the Fathers, and the Orations of Cicero, he had prepared himself for the l)ulpit, for which he had ever felt a strong attraction. He volunteered for the foreign missions, but Tuscany, the Papal States, and the chief cities of Italy were to be the scene of his labours. He preached at first in the great cathedrals, and then for twenty-seven years (1665-92) gave popular mis- sions with an eloquence surpassed only by his holi- m?ss. His " Quaresimale " (Florence, 1679, tr. New York, 1874) had been read and admired by Antonio Pignatelli, who as Pope Innocent XII summoned the missionary to preach before him, and made him theologian of the Penitentiaria. Segneri's biographer, Massei, states distinctly that "Le Prediche dette nel palazzo apostolico" (Rome, 1694) won the admira- tion of the pontiff and his Court.
After St. Bernardine of Siena and Savonarola, Segneri was Italy's greatest orator. He reformed the Italian pulpit. Marini and the Marinisti with the petty tricks and simpering graces of the "Sei-
cento" had degraded the national literature. The
pulpit even was infected. Segneri at times stumbles
into the defects of the "Seicentisti", but his occa-
sional bad taste and abuse of profane erudition
cannot blind the impartial critic to his merits.
The "Quaresimale", the "Prediche", the "Pane-
gyrici Sacri" (Florence, 1684, translated by Father
Humphrey, London, 1877), stamp him as a great
orator. His qualities are a vigour of reasoning, a
strategist's marshalling of converging proofs and argu-
ments, which recall Bourdaloue; a richness of imag-
ination which the French Jesuit does not possess;
a deep and melting pathos. He is particularly co-
gent in refutation; to harmony of thought and plan,
he unites a Dorian harmony of phrase ; he is full of
unction, priestly, and popular. He has two sources
of inspiration, his love of God and of the people be-
fore him. To his oratorical powers, he added the
zeal of an apostle and the austerities of a great
penitent. All this readily explains his wonderful
success with people naturally emotional and deeply
Catholic Entire districts flocked to hear him; ex-
traordinary graces and favours marked his career.
His triumphs loft him simple as a child. In his
theological discussion with his superior-general,
Thyrsus Gonzalez, who was a firm champion of
Probabiliorism, he combined the respect and obe-
dience of the .subject with the reasonable and manly
independence of the trained thinker (cf. " Lett ere
suUa Materia del Probabile" in vol. IV of "Opere",
Venice, 1748). Segneri WTote also "II penitente is-,
truito" (Bologna, 1669); "II confes.sore istruito"
(Brescia, 1672); "La Manna dell anima" (Milan,
1683, tr. London, New York, 1892); "II Cristiano
istruito" (Florence, 1686); "L' Incredulo senza
scusa" (Florence, 1690). His complete works (cf.
Sommervogel) have been frequently edited: at
Parma, 1701; Venice, 1712-58; Turin, 1855, etc.
The "Quaresimale" has been printed at least thirty
times. Some of Segneri's works have been trans-
lated into Arabic Hallam criticizes Segneri unfairly;
Ford is more just in his appreciation.
Massei, Breve raqyuaglio della Vita del Ven. Servo di Dio il Padre Paolo Segneri (Florence, Parma, 1701), tr. in no. 27 of the Oratory Series (London, 1851); Tiraboschi, Storia della letteratura italiana (Modena, 1771-82), VIII; Fabroni, VitcE Italorum (Pisa, 1788-99); Patrignani-Boero, Menologio (Rome, 1859) ; Audisio, Lezioni di Eloquema Sacra (Turin, i859), I, Lecture vi, II, Lecture xxvi, xxix, III, Lecture vi, vii; Ford, Sermons from the Quaresimale, with a preface relating to the author (London, 1869) Protestant; Hallam, In- trod. to the Lit. of Europe (New York, 1841), II, 26; de Coppier, Le P. Segneri considere comme Oraleur in Etudes (Dec, 1878); Trebbi, II Quaresimale, con discorso ed analisi (Turin, 1883) ; Morris, The Lights in Prayer of the Ven. Frs. de la Puente, de la Colombiire, and the Rev. Fr. P. Segneri, S.J. (London, 1893); Beli.oni, II seicento (Milan, 1899); Tacchi-Venturi, Lettere inedite di P. Segneri , . . intorno all opera segneriana " La Concordia" (Florence, 1903); Bulgarelli, II P. Segneri e la diocesi di Modigliana (Saluzzo, 1908); Baumgartner, Die Ges- chichte der Weltliteratur, VI Band, Die italienische Literalur (St. Louis, 1911); Cm7<d Ca«oZica, 3rd Series, VIII. 454; 15th Series, XII, 257; lethSeries, V, 314; 18thSeries, V, 142; Sommervogel, Bibl. de la C. de J., VII; Forn.^ciari, Disegno storico della lettera- tura italiana (Florence, 1898).
John C. Reville.
Segni (SiGNiNsis), in the Province of Rome. The city, situated on a hill in the Monti Lepini overlooks the valley of the river Sacco. There still exist the double enclosure of a cyclopean wall and the gates, the architrave of which is a large monolith; one of these is the famous Porta Saracinesca. There are also the ruins of a church (St. Peter's) and some underground excavations, which recall Etruscan influence. Under Tarquin the Proud, of Etruscan origin, it became a colony. With other Latin cities it rebelled against Rome more than once. On several occasions it served as a place of refuge for the popes, and Eugenius III erected a palace there. In the twelfth century it came into possession of the Conti Marsi, which family gave four members to the papal ranks. In 1558 it was sacked by the forces of the
