Richard Garnett

“ Panizzi succeeded Sir Henry Elhs as principal librarian in March 1856. During his tenure of this post a great improvement was effected in the condition of the museum staff by the recognition of the institution as a branch of the civil service, and the decision was taken to remove the natural history collections to Kensington. Of this questionable measure Panizzi was a warm advocate; he was heartily glad to be rid of the naturalists. ”

“ Panizzi had become a naturalized Englishman, but his devotion to the British Museum was rivalled by his devotion to his native land, and his personal influence with English liberal statesmen enabled him often to promote her cause. Throughout the revolutionary movements of 1848–1849, and again during the campaign of 1859 and the subsequent transactions due to the union of Naples to the kingdom of upper Italy, Panizzi was in constant communication with the Italian patriots and their confidential representative with the English ministers. ”

“ Boiardo’s fame had been eclipsed for three centuries by the adaptation of Bcrjii; and it is highly to the honour of Panizzi to have redeemed him from oblivion and restored to Italy one of the very best of her narrative poets. His edition of the Orlando Innamorato and the Orlando furioso was published between 1830 and 1834, prefaced by a valuable essay on the influence of Celtic legends on medieval romance. In 1835 he edited Boiardo’s minor poems, and was about the same time engaged in preparing a catalogue of the library of the Royal Society. ”