This collection of biographies of literary and scientific figures from Italy, Spain, and Portugal, originally published in 1850, offers a window into the intellectual life of southern Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. The book includes profiles of writers, scientists, and artists, such as Galileo, Cervantes, and Dante, and sheds light on their contributions to European culture. This volume is a must-read for students of European history and culture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.