Aymerich, Mateo de, 1715-1799

"Mateo Aymerich (1715-1799) fue un clérigo y filósofo español. Se le relaciona con los novatores (la pre-ilustración española). Miembro de la Compañía de Jesús, fue profesor de la Universidad de Cervera (1745-1751) y rector de la Universidad de Barcelona. La enemistad del influyente padre Ferrussola contra el grupo de profesores jesuitas que reunió en su torno (Bartolomé Pou, Gallisá, Pons y Navás), provocaron su desplazamiento a la Universidad de Gandía, también como rector. Se conoce como escuela de Cervera o escuela cervariense el núcleo de intelectuales jesuitas formado en esa época y lugar, en el que, con Aymerich estaban José Finestres, Ramón Lázaro de Dou y de Bassols, Tomás Cerdá, Blas Larraz y el citado Bartolomé Pou. Fue autor de Systema antiquo-novum jesuiticae philosophiae (1747) y Prolusiones Philosophicae (1756), que ha sido identificado como el primer ensayo filosófico en España. Procuró revisar la temática filosófica tradicional, introduciendo las cuestiones suscitadas por las novedades científicas, modernizando el lenguaje e incrementando el espíritu crítico en sus discípulos. A partir de la expulsión de los jesuitas (1767) continuó su trabajo intelectual en Italia (Ferrara), dedicado a temas humanísticos. Dejó inacabado un proyecto de Bibliotheca Exilium, para demostrar el patriotismo de los jesuitas."

"Mateo Aimerich (1715-1799) was a philologist born in Bordils, Province of Girona, Spain. He entered the Society of Jesus at eighteen, and, having finished his studies, taught philosophy and theology in several colleges of his Order. He was subsequently rector of Barcelona and Cervera, and chancellor of the University of Gandia. He was in Madrid, supervising the printing of some books, when the decree of the expulsion of the Society from Spain was announced. He went on board ship without complaint, reportedly thinking only of consoling his companions, several of whom were old and infirm. He took up his abode in Ferrara, Italy and it was there, in exile, that he carried out much of his philological work. His only help was the public library, and even that his infirmities often prevented him from consulting. Besides some works of scholastic philosophy, ascetical works, and discourses, we have from his pen the following works: * Monina et acta Episcoporum Barcinonencium * Quinti Moderati Censorini de vitâ et morte linguae Paradoxa philologica, criticis nonnullis dissertationibus opposite, asserta, et probata, of which there were but a few copies printed; the book is consequently very rare. * a defense of the preceding work; * Specimen veteris romanae literaturae deperditae vel adhuc latentis; * Novum Lexicon historicum et criticum antiquae romanae literaturae. This work, which is the sequel to the preceding, was the one which made Aimerich's reputation. He left also an MS., which was a supplement to his dictionary; and a number of Latin discourses. Aimerich died in Ferrara, Italy, in 1799."