This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
Domenico Cirillo, an Italian republican and naturalist, born in 1734, died on the scaffold at Naples in 1799. He officiated in early life as professor of botany, afterward accompanied Lady Walpole to France and England, became a fellow of the royal society of London, a friend of Buffon, D'Alembert, and Diderot, and on his return to Naples was appointed physician of the court. After the proclamation of the republic by the French, he was chosen representative of the Neapolitan people, and member of the legislative commission (1799); and on the reestabiishment of royalty he suffered death on the scaffold, rather than take the oath of allegiance or ask a pardon from King Ferdinand. His chief writings are Fundamental Botanica (2 vols. 8vo, 1787), and Entomologies Neapolitans Specimen (folio, 1787).
Domenico Cunego, an Italian engraver, born at Verona in 1727, died in Rome about 1800. He went to Rome with an English architect and settled there. He was employed four years at Berlin, engraving the portraits of the king and princes after Cunningham, and some time in London on Boydells Shakespeare. His principal works are 22 plates in Gavin Hamilton's Schola Italiana, and his outline of the "Last Judgment," from Michel Angelo's frescoes in the Sistine chapel.
Domenico Diodati, an Italian archaeologist and theologian, born in Naples in 1736, died there in 1801. He wrote several works on ecclesiastical history, and one on the coins of the Italian states; but that by which ho became widely known is entitled De Christo Groecoe loquente Exercitatio (Naples, 1707). The theory that Greek was the native language of the Jewish people in the time of Christ is advocated in this work with remarkable subtlety, nice comparison of passages, and a great variety of proofs, both external and internal. The academy della Crusca made him at once one of its associate members, and the ernpress of Russia sent him a gold medal for his service to the language of the sacred records.
Domenico Dragonetti, an Italian contrabas-sist, born in Venice, April 7, 1763, died in London in 1846. His father was a player upon the double bass, and the young Dragonetti made such progress upon the instrument as to be regarded as a prodigy at the age of 13. He was the first to make a solo instrument of the unwieldy double bass. At the age of 24 he took up his residence in London, where he remained during the rest of his life as first double bass in the royal theatre and at the philharmonic concerts. He was esteemed the most accomplished player upon his instrument of his time, and wrote for it many pieces in which were introduced passages that hitherto had been deemed practicable only for the violin. The instruments that he played were a superb Gas-paro da Salo and a Stradivarius.
See Brusasorci.
Domingo De Betanqos, a Spanish missionary, born in Leon late in the loth century, died in Valladolid in August, 1549. He studied law at Salamanca, joined the Benedictines in Rome, and lived for a time as a hermit at Somma near Naples. In 1514 he went to Hispaniola, acquired the Indian languages, and endeavored to save the natives from Spanish cruelty. Subsequently he labored among the Indians in Mexico and Guatemala, where he established convents. His representations led Paul III. to promulgate a bull in 1537 reminding all Christians that pagan Indians were their brethren, and should not be hunted down like wild beasts. Betancos refused the bishopric of Guatemala, and remained simply provincial of his order. He died shortly after his return to Spain.
 
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