Giacomo Leopardi's Correspondence Published by Allia

The French publisher Allia has released a comprehensive volume of Giacomo Leopardi's correspondence, spanning letters from and to the Italian poet and philosopher from 1807 to 1837. This publication follows Allia's earlier translations of Leopardi's works, including the monumental Zibaldone (2004) and several shorter texts. The collection traces Leopardi's intellectual development from a precocious child writing in Latin to a mature thinker who rejected Romanticism and rationalist philosophy. Leopardi, born in Recanati in 1798, was a voracious reader who taught himself Greek and Latin, producing philological works and essays from age fifteen. His letters reveal a shift from religious faith to a lucid pessimism, as seen in his reflections on suicide in the Dialogue between Porphyry and Plotinus. He criticized contemporary political philosophy, arguing that happiness cannot be achieved through political systems alone. The correspondence includes references to Goethe and other literary figures, but few contemporary philosophers, reflecting Leopardi's skepticism toward German rationalism. The volume provides insight into his personal struggles, including his physical deterioration from excessive study and his unfulfilled love life. The publication is part of a broader effort to make Leopardi's thought accessible to French readers, correcting the longstanding neglect noted by Sainte-Beuve in 1844.