On this day (February 13) in the year 1840, a public demonstration of the daguerreotype was given in the gardens of the Royal palace of Capodimente, Naples by Prof. Macedonio Melloni. Present were the King of the Two Sicilies, the Archbishop, and members of The Royal Scientific Institute. The following epigram, in praise of Daguerre, was composed for the occasion by Cavaliere Bernardo Quaranta. The Latin verses, together with an Italian translation by the same author, were published in the city annals for 1840. Altogether five epigrams were composed and published; this is the first of the five: - - - - - - - - - - - ANNALI CIVILI del REGNO DELLE DUE SICILIE Fascicolo XLV Maggio e Giugno, 1840 NAPOLI DALLA TIPOGRAFIA DEL REAL MINISTERO DEGLI AFFARI INTERNI NEL REALE ALBERGO DE'POVERI 1840 EPIGRAFI LATINI I ALOYSIVM DAGVERRE QVI ARTE SVMMA INGENIO VLTRA ARTEM PRAEDITVS VNIVERSAS NATVRAE IMAGINES TAMQVAM MONOCHROMATA EX ALBO AEREA IN PAGINA ARGENTO OBDVCTA FIRMIS LINEAMENTIS EXCRIBERE VNA OPE SOLIS DOCVIT PARTIBVS QVA EMINENTIORIBVS QVA REDVCTIORIBVS AD AMVSSIM EXPRESSIS PHYSICVM NON CVM PRAESENTIBVS MODO SED CVM OMNIS AEVI CLARISSIMIS VIRIS COMPARANDVM ABSTRVSA ORBIS ARCANA RIMANTES MAXIMIS PLAVSIBVS PROSEQVVNTVR TRADUZIONE ITALIANA I A LUIGI DAGUERRE CHE DI ARTE SOMMA E DI MAGGIORE INTELLIGENZA FORNITO OGNI MANIERA D'IMMAGINI QUAI BIANCHI MONOCROMI NON SENZA I MENOMO CHIAROSCURO SOPRA UNA SUPERFICIE D'ARGENTATO RAME A RITRARRE CO' RAGGI DEL SOLE INSEGNO' GL' INVESTIGATORI DE' NATURALI ARCANI E QUANTI GENTILI SPIRITI DI TALI SCOVERTE SI PIACCIONO VIVI PLAUSI FANNO COME A FILOSOFO DA PARAGONARE AI VALENTISSIMI DELL'ETA' NOSTRA NON SOLO MA ED AI PIU' CHIARI DI TUTTI I TEMPI MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION (by Michael G. Jacob) Louis Daguerre Consummate artist Mind of exceptional intelligence Capturing Every image of nature In black and white On a silvered plate of copper By means of the sun's rays Taught investigators of natural magic And other generous souls To praise a philosopher Who can compare with the most noble Of this age And of all recorded time * With thanks to Michael G. Jacob who provided both the verses and the historical information. The full citation of this publication is as follows: "Annali Civili del Regno delle Due Sicilie, Fascicolo XLV" (Naples) May and June 1840; pages 90-94. (Unidentified author R***, L***) -------------------------------------------------------------- 02-13-99