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GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.
ABBIANI (ANTONE DOMENIC)
,

an beauty of her person, the richness of her voice 1652, and studied under Ciro Ferri at Rome. for the unbounded caprice that governed ber He excels most in minor subjects, as gambols of l in the exercise of the latter. She was a pupil genii, children, &c. His most famous work in of Porpora and Metastasio, under whose infresco is the large cupola of Cestello, which structions she attained to such excellence he did not live to finish, falling from a scaffold that even Pachierotti was with great difficulty in 1726 while employed on it. His colouring, prevailed on to appear in the same opera with though sometimes feeble, is generally good, her, lest her superiority should prove the ruin but he fails most in the execution of his dra- of his own fame. From the circumstance of peries.- Pilkington.

her father having been in the service of a GABIA (JOAN Baptist) one of the Roman cardinal in the capacity of cook, she Tevivers of literature, was born at Verona, and in her earlier years acquired the soubriquet of fiourished in the sixteenth century. He was “ La Cuochetina ;” neither her countenance professor of Greek at Rome, and is said to nor deportment however gave any indication of have distinguished himself by his knowledge a vulgar origin. After exciting the greatest of the learned languages, of mathematics, and enthusiasm by her singing at most of the Europhilosophy, and even of theology. His works pean capitals, she went to Russia, where she are-A translation from Greek into Latin of remained three years, and ranked high in court the Commentaries of Theodoret, bishop of favour. In 1775 she visited England, and Cyrus, on Daniel and Ezekiel, printed at appeared at the King's theatre during that and Rome, 1563; A translation of the history of the following season.

While in this country, Scylitzes Curopalates, 1570; and a Latin trans- she exhibited fewer of those freaks which lation of Sophocles. It is affirmed by Maffei abroad tended much to interfere with her pothat he also translated Zosimus and the Hebrew pularity, from a sense, it is said, of fear, lest Psalms, and translated into Greek the Grego. an English audience should “break her bones.” rian Kalendar with Santi's tables, with an intro- Of her whims Brydone gives a curious instance ductory epistle in Greek by himself.—Moreri. which occurred during her stay at the Sicilian Maffei Verona Illustrata.

court. The viceroy, it seems, had honoured GABRIEL (JAMES) an eminent French her with an invitation to a party, composed of architect, built the palace at Choisy. He also the elite of the nobility of Palermo, which she undertook the Pont Royal at Paris, but died accepted, but not arriving at the appointed before it was finished in 1686, leaving the hour, the dinner was actually put back, and a completion of is to his son James, and Frere messenger dispatched, who found her reading Romain.-JSW-s, the younger, was born at in bed. She rose and accompanied him, apoParis in 1667, and became overseer-general of logizing to the company on the ground that she buildings, gardens, arts and manufactures, had really forgotton the engagement. Tho first architect and engineer of bridges and viceroy was offended, and still more so when, banks through the kingdom, and knight of St on coming to the opera, no persuasion could Michael. He died at Paris in 1742, leaving a induce her to sing a note above her breath. son also first architect to the king, who died in He threatened her with punishment, which 1782.- Nouv. Dict. Hist.

only made her more obstinate, and she returned GABRIEL SIONITA a learned Maronite, for answer, that his excellency“ might indeed was professor of the Arabic and Syriac lan make her cry, but he never should force her to guages at Rome, and flourished in the seven. sing.” The consequence of this contumacy teenth century. He was invited to Paris to was immerliate incarceration. She remained assist in M Le Jay's Polyglott, and carried in continement twelve days, during which time with him some Syriac and Arabis, versions of she gave magniticent entertainments, and paid the Bible, transcribed by himself from MSS. at the debts of the poorer prisoners, till the viceRome, to which he added the vowel points, roy, who was a good-tempered man, gave up which were not in the original. The Latin the contest, and set her at liberty without translations of these versions were also fur- carrying his point. The most successful exnished by Sionita ; but in consequence of some pedient to ensure her singing was found to be misunderstandings between himself and his the prevailing on her favourite admirer to place employers, he did not fulfil the department himself in a conspicuous part of the theatre, assigned to him in the Polyglott, but was suc. when she would generally address her airs to ceeded by Ercbellensis. Sionita was also the bim, and exert herself to the utmost. She translator of other Arabic works, and among amassed great wealth, although by no means of the rest, of the “Geographia Nubiensis” of a mercenary disposition ; the principal source of Scheriff al Edrissi. He was appointed professor her riches being the bounty of the emperor of royal of the Syriac and Arabic languages at Germany, who was much attached to her, but Paris, where he died in 1648. Walton has at length banished her from Vienna, on account copied lis versions into the English Polyglott. of the continual broils, occasioned as much by - Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.

her intriguing spirit, as by the influence of her GABRIELLI (CATERINA) one of the most personal charms. The time of her decease in celebrated singers of the last century, born at luncertain.- Biog. Dict. of Mus. Rome in 1730, not more remarkable for the GABRINI (sce Rienzı.) Biog, Dict. — Vol. II.

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