Quotes:Rosmini-Serbati, Antonio

Zirkoff, Boris

Rosmini-Serbati, Antonio. Italian mystical philosopher and ecclesiastic, b. at Rovereto, March 15, 1797; d. at Stresa, July 1, 1855. Ordained, 1825; served as priest in his native town, 1834–36. Urged by strong zeal, he founded a society for secular priests, the Instituto della carità, and a Collegio intended to propagate the faith among the people. After some contention with Mamiani and Gioberti, he linked his own efforts with theirs in the cause of the independence and the unification of Italy. Minister of Public Instruction under Pius IX, who promised to make him Cardinal. He accompanied the Pope to Gaite, November, 1848; his liberal ideas, however, turned the Pope against him. Rosmini then retired to Stresa and divided his time between study and the administration of his Institute. His system of philosophy was based on an understanding between science and faith, but with subordination of the former to the latter. His character was 452 generous, his logic full of vigour, his writings very forceful, and he occupied at the time a leading position among the philosophers of Italy. Chief works: Litteratura ed arti belle, Intra, 1870–73. 2 vols.—Predicazioni, Milan, 1843.—Nuovo Saggio sull’origine delle idee, Rome, 1830, considered the most important of his works.—Teosofia, Turin, 1859–64, in 5 vols.

An informative article on Rosmini, from the pen of A.L.B. Hardcastle, may be found in The Theosophical Review, Vol. XXVI, May, 1900.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 9, pp. 451-452