the Danube, over against Rustchuk in Bulgaria, and is distant about 40 miles from Bucharest, with which it has been connected by railway since 1869. It presents on the whole rather a mean appearance, rising out of the mud einbankments of the river, but its population is increasing, its commerical advantages as the port of Bucharest are becoming more generally recognized, and improvements are consequently being effected in the town itself. It is the seat of a court of primary instance, and has a normal school and a gymnasium. The fortifications to which it was formerly indebted for no small part of its importance were destroyed in 1829, and its only defence is a castle on the island of Slobosia, with which it communicates by a bridge. Giurgevo, or, as it was called by its founders, San Zorzo, that is, San Giorgio, or St George’s, owes its origin to the Genoese of the 14th century. It has frequently figured in the wars whereby the lower Danube has so often been laid
waste. The population in 1875 was about 15,000.GIUSTI, Giuseppe (1809–1850), Tuscan satirical poet, was born at Monsnnnnano, a small village of the Valdinievole, on May 12, 1809. His father, a cultivated and rich man, accustomed his son from childhood to study, and himself taught him, among other subjects, the first rudiments of music. Afterwards, in order to curb his too vivacious disposition, he placed the boy under the charge of a priest near the village, whose severity did perhaps more evil than good. At twelve Giusti was sent to school at Florence, and afterwards to Pistoia and t0 Lucca; and during those years he wrote his first verses. In 1826 he went to study law at Pisa; but, disliking the study, he spent eight years in the course, instead of the customary four. He lived gaily, however, though his father kept him short of money, and learned to know the world, seeing the vices of society, and the folly of certain laws and customs from which his country was suffering. The experience thus gained he turned to good account in the use he made of it in his satire.
His father had in the meantime changed his place of abode to Pescia; but Giuseppe did worse there, and in November 1832, his father having paid his debts, he re- turned to study at Pisa, seriously enamcured of a woman whom he could not marry, but now commencing to write in real earnest in behalf of his country. \Vith the poem called La G'lu'gliottiua. (the guillotine), Giusti began to strike out a path for himself, and thus revealed his great genius. From this time he showed himself the Italian Béranger, and even surpassed the Frenchman in richness of language, refinement of humour, and depth of satirical conception. In Bil-ranger there is more feeling for what is needed for popular poetry. His poetry is less studied, its vivacity perhaps more boisterous, more spontaneous 5 but Giusti, in both manner and conception, is perhaps more elegant, more refined, more penetrating. In 1834 Giusti, having at last entered the legal profession, left Pisa to go to Florence, nominally to practice with the advocate Capo- quadri, but really to enjoy life in the capital of Tuscany. He fell seriously in love a second time, and as before was abandoned by his love. It was then he wrote his finest verses, by means of which, although his poetry was not yet collected in a volume, but for some years passed from hand to hand, his name gradually became famous. The greater part of his poems were published clandes- tinely at Lugano, at no little risk, as the work was destined to undermine the Austrian rule in Italy. After the publi- cation of a volume of verses at Bastia, Giusti thoroughly established his fame by his Gingillz'no, the best in moral tone as well as the most vigorous and effective of his poems. The poet sets himself to represent the vileness of the treasury officials, and the base means they used to conceal the necessities of the state. The G'z'nyz'llz'm has all the character of a classic satire. When first issued in Tuscany, it struck all as too impassioned and personal. Giusti entered heart and soul into the political movements of 1847 and 1848, served in the national guard, sat in the parliament for Tuscany; but finding that there was more talk than action, that to the tyranny of princes had succeeded the tyranny of demagognes, he began to fear, and to express the fear, that for Italy evil rather than good had resulted. He fell, in consequence, from the high position he had held in public estimation, and in 1848 was regarded as a reactionary. His friend— ship for the marquis Gino Capponi, who had taken him into his house during the last years of his life, and who published after Giusti's death a volume of illustrated pro- verbs, was enough to compromise him in the eyes of such men as Guerrazzi, Montanelli, and Niccoliui. On May 31, 1850, he died at Florence in the palace of his friend.
The poetry of Giusti, under a light trivial aspect, has a lofty civilizing significance. The type of his satire is entirely original. and it had also the great merit of appear- ing at the right moment, of wounding judiciously, of sustaining the part of the comedy that “castigat ridendo mores.” Hence his verse, apparently jovial, was received by the scholars and politicians of Italy in all seriousness. Alexander )Ianzoni in some of his letters showed a hearty admiration of the genius of Giusti; and the weak Austrian and Bourbon Governments regarded them as of the gravest importance.
His poems have been often reprinted, the best editions being those of Le Monnier of Florence, and also that published in Verona, with valuable annotations, by Professor Giovanni F ioretti ill 1876. Besides the poems, and the proverbs already mentioned, we have a volume of select letters, full of vigour and written in the best Tuscan language, and a fine critical discourse on Giuseppe I’arini, the satirical poet of the last century, whose poetical works are published in a volume by Le Monnier. In some of his composi— tions the elegiac rather than the satirical poet is seen. Many of his verses have been excellently translated into German by Paul H eyse. Good English translations were published in the A thenwum by the late Mrs T. A. Trollope.
GIUSTINIANI, the name of a prominent Italian family which originally belonged to Venice. but established itself subsequently in Genoa also, and at various times had representatives in Naples, Corsica, and several of the islands of the Archipelago.
of mention. I. Lorenzo (1380–1465), the Laurentins Justinianus of the Roman calendar, at an early age entered the congregation of the canons of Saint George in Alga, and in 1433 became general of that order. About the same time he was made by Eugenius IV. bishop of Venice; and his episcopate was marked by considerable activity in church extension and reform. On the removal of the patriarchate from Grado to Venice by Nicholas V. in 1451, Giustiniani was promoted to that dignity, which he held for fourteen years. He died on January 8, 1465, was canonized by Pope Alexander VIII., his festival (semi-duplex) being fixed by Innocent XII. for September 5th, the anniversary of his elevation to the bishopric. His works, consisting of sermons, letters, and ascetic treatises, have been frequently reprinted,—the best edition being that of the Benedictine P. N. A. Giustiniani, published at Venice in 2 vols. folio, 1751. They are wholly devoid of literary merit. His life has been written by Bernard Giustiniani, by Maffei, and also by the Bollandists. (2.) Leonardo (1388–1446), brother of the preceding, was for some years a senator of Venice, and in 1443 was chosen procurator of St Mark. He translated into Italian Plutarch's Lives (9“ Cinna and Luczlllus, and was the author of some poetical pieces, amatory and religious, as well as of rhetorical prose compositions. (3.) Bernando (1408–1489), Son of Leonardo,
was a pupil of Guarino and of George of Trebizond, and