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:
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                  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***)
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Posted for your enjoyment.     Gary W. Ewer     
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02-13-99