226
and paleontology became autonomous disciplines a few decades later; in 1864,
Pope Pius IX established a new chair of geology at La Sapienza, and Giuseppe
Ponzi was appointed to teaching positions in both geology and mineralogy.
Ponzi was a physician, a naturalist, and a geologist; besides being professor of
zoology and comparative anatomy, he also taught mineralogy, geology, and geognosy at the Applied Engineering School (“Scuola d’applicazione degli Ingegneri”)
of Rome. In 1873 he established a geological laboratory and a geological museum
at La Sapienza University. He had become a member of the Accademia dei Lincei
in 1848; from 1871 to 1874 he served as its president. He was also a senator of the
Kingdom of Italy after 1870 and, in 1875, was appointed a member of the Accademia
Nazionale delle Scienze (Argentieri 2015). Ponzi can be thus considered the father
of the “Roman geological school” which developed modern geological research in
the Eternal City and its surroundings. This work was carried forward by his successors Romolo Meli (from 1885 to 1888) and Alessandro Portis (from 1888 to 1927)
and continued to grow during the twentieth century. Ponzi lived in Via della Gatta,
a few tens of meters from the Collegio Romano where Father Secchi directed the
Observatory. The two scientists, both members of the Accademia delle Scienze,
could have visited each other on occasion to discuss about geological matters.
Another important contemporary of Secchi in the geological community was
Quintino Sella (1827–1884) who would become the founder of the Italian Geological
Society in 1881. Sella sincerely admired and respected Secchi, and soon after the
religious died, he presented, as president of the Accademia dei Lincei, an obituary
and a first systematic bibliography of Secchi’s works during the session on March
3, 1878. These are Quintino’s words (Sella 1878):
In these days, Italy and science have suffered a serious loss. On 26 February, Angelo Secchi
died in Rome. His departure cannot fail to be commemorated in this hall, where the voice
of the illustrious deceased was heard for so many years. Angelo Secchi was born in Reggio
Emilia in 1818; he joined the Society of Jesus in 1833 and went to America in 1847.
Returning to Rome, he was called to succeed Fr. Francesco De Vico as director of the
Observatory of the Roman College and professor of astronomy. In 1852 he founded the
current Observatory atop the Church of St. Ignatius. From that year onward began an uninterrupted series of numerous works and discoveries whose importance cannot be overstated,
with which he rendered great service to physical astronomy.
1
1 L’Italia e la scienza in questi giorni hanno fatto una grave perdita. Il 26 febbraio morì in Roma
Angelo Secchi. La sua dipartita non può non essere commemorata in quest’aula nella quale fu
udita per tanti anni la voce dell’illustre estinto. Angelo Secchi era nato a Reggio Emilia nel 1818.
Entrato nel 1883 nella Compagnia di Gesù andò in America nel 1847. Rientrato a Roma fu chiamato a succedere al P. Francesco De Vico nella carica di direttore dell’Osservatorio del Collegio
Romano e di professore di Astronomia. Nel 1852 fondò l’attuale Osservatorio della Chiesa di
S. Ignazio; da quell’anno cominciò una serie non interrotta di lavori numerosissimi e di scoperte
non prive d’importanza con cui rese grandi servigi all’Astronomia fisica.
A. Argentieri and M. Parotto
and paleontology became autonomous disciplines a few decades later; in 1864,
Pope Pius IX established a new chair of geology at La Sapienza, and Giuseppe
Ponzi was appointed to teaching positions in both geology and mineralogy.
Ponzi was a physician, a naturalist, and a geologist; besides being professor of
zoology and comparative anatomy, he also taught mineralogy, geology, and geognosy at the Applied Engineering School (“Scuola d’applicazione degli Ingegneri”)
of Rome. In 1873 he established a geological laboratory and a geological museum
at La Sapienza University. He had become a member of the Accademia dei Lincei
in 1848; from 1871 to 1874 he served as its president. He was also a senator of the
Kingdom of Italy after 1870 and, in 1875, was appointed a member of the Accademia
Nazionale delle Scienze (Argentieri 2015). Ponzi can be thus considered the father
of the “Roman geological school” which developed modern geological research in
the Eternal City and its surroundings. This work was carried forward by his successors Romolo Meli (from 1885 to 1888) and Alessandro Portis (from 1888 to 1927)
and continued to grow during the twentieth century. Ponzi lived in Via della Gatta,
a few tens of meters from the Collegio Romano where Father Secchi directed the
Observatory. The two scientists, both members of the Accademia delle Scienze,
could have visited each other on occasion to discuss about geological matters.
Another important contemporary of Secchi in the geological community was
Quintino Sella (1827–1884) who would become the founder of the Italian Geological
Society in 1881. Sella sincerely admired and respected Secchi, and soon after the
religious died, he presented, as president of the Accademia dei Lincei, an obituary
and a first systematic bibliography of Secchi’s works during the session on March
3, 1878. These are Quintino’s words (Sella 1878):
In these days, Italy and science have suffered a serious loss. On 26 February, Angelo Secchi
died in Rome. His departure cannot fail to be commemorated in this hall, where the voice
of the illustrious deceased was heard for so many years. Angelo Secchi was born in Reggio
Emilia in 1818; he joined the Society of Jesus in 1833 and went to America in 1847.
Returning to Rome, he was called to succeed Fr. Francesco De Vico as director of the
Observatory of the Roman College and professor of astronomy. In 1852 he founded the
current Observatory atop the Church of St. Ignatius. From that year onward began an uninterrupted series of numerous works and discoveries whose importance cannot be overstated,
with which he rendered great service to physical astronomy.
1
1 L’Italia e la scienza in questi giorni hanno fatto una grave perdita. Il 26 febbraio morì in Roma
Angelo Secchi. La sua dipartita non può non essere commemorata in quest’aula nella quale fu
udita per tanti anni la voce dell’illustre estinto. Angelo Secchi era nato a Reggio Emilia nel 1818.
Entrato nel 1883 nella Compagnia di Gesù andò in America nel 1847. Rientrato a Roma fu chiamato a succedere al P. Francesco De Vico nella carica di direttore dell’Osservatorio del Collegio
Romano e di professore di Astronomia. Nel 1852 fondò l’attuale Osservatorio della Chiesa di
S. Ignazio; da quell’anno cominciò una serie non interrotta di lavori numerosissimi e di scoperte
non prive d’importanza con cui rese grandi servigi all’Astronomia fisica.
A. Argentieri and M. Parotto