Giovambattista Biffi and His Role in the Dissemination of English Culture in Eighteenth-Century Lombardy

Abstract: This article explores the relationship between eighteenth-century English periodicals and the Italian journal Il Caffè, with a particular focus on the role of cultural mediator played by the nobleman Giambattista Biffi, from Cremona. The investigation is based on research into the collection of Biffi’s manuscripts (copies of, or translations from, English journals such as The Spectator, The Idler and The Guardian) held at the Biblioteca Statale di Cremona. The article highlights some of Biffi’s particular interests and the means by which he was able to infiltrate them into the pages of Il Caffè, even in contributions not written by himself. Keywords: English periodicals, Il Caffè, Giambattista Biffi, Pietro Verri, British influence in Italy, manuscript