Due lettere inedite di Stefano Borgia: il lascito generoso di Mario Capasso

From an antiquarian bookshop to the University library: this is the fortunate journey, I would say, of two unpublished manuscripts by Stefano Borgia, now part of the collection of the Center for Papyrological Studies at Unisalento. A long journey, unfolding across space and time, through the centuries. This happy conclusion is owed to the care, generosity, and dedication of Mario Capasso, who enables us today to reconstruct a previously unknown facet of cultural life in the 18th century. At the same time, it conveys a timeless lesson, connecting a seemingly past story to the present. This tale, rich with unexpected and captivating developments, allows us to weave together once again the threads of a network that linked Italy and Denmark, Rome and Copenhagen, cardinals and Enlightenment thinkers – but above all, Schow and Borgia, two 18thcentury scholars who profoundly influenced an eminent 21stcentury papyrologist. Along with his alter ego, Mr. George Cavendish, he taught us never to stop dreaming and seeking.

从古籍书店到大学图书馆——这便是斯特凡诺·博尔贾（Stefano Borgia）两份未刊手稿的幸运历程，如今它们已归入萨莱诺大学（Unisalento）纸草学研究中心（Center for Papyrological Studies）的馆藏。这段跨越时空的漫长旅程历经数个世纪，而这一圆满结局，要归功于马里奥·卡帕索（Mario Capasso）的悉心呵护、慷慨付出与倾情投入：如今我们得以借此重现18世纪文化生活中一段此前未被知晓的侧面。与此同时，它也传递出一则跨越时代的启示，将一段看似尘封的往事与当下相连。这段充满意外转折与迷人发展的故事，让我们得以再度串联起联结意大利与丹麦、罗马与哥本哈根、枢机主教与启蒙思想家的学术网络脉络——而尤为关键的是，它牵起了两位18世纪学者肖（Schow）与博尔贾的联结，二人深刻影响了一位杰出的21世纪纸草学家（papyrologist）。这位学者与其分身乔治·卡文迪什先生一同，启迪我们永远不要停止梦想与求索。