Childhood and youth were difficult for Félix da Silva Avelar (1744-1828), one of the most notable Portuguese men of science of his time. At the age of 19, he got a place as chaplain-singer in the Patriarchal of Lisbon, which he had resorted to for the talent and artistic ambition he undoubtedly possessed, but also to have a livelihood – he had just lost his grandfather, his father had died when he was 2 years old and his mother was very ill.
What he had in excess regarding skills and knowledge, he lacked in terms of economic means to dedicate himself solely to studying. The reform of university education prevented him from completing his graduation in Coimbra, since exams were not allowed without taking the subjects in person.
Like so many others whom he contacted or were his friends, and who helped him - among whom Filinto Elísio (1734-1819) - he suffered persecution by the Inquisition, which severely harmed the Portuguese intellectual milieu at the time.
In Paris, he sought to survive by doing translations and original scientific works, taking advantage of his exposure to the city's intellectual milieu and university education. He abandoned the Paris mayhem in the midst of the French Revolution. There, following a tradition of the time, he adopted a nickname created from classical Greek – close to the meaning of philanthropist, as Brotero means “friend of mortals”.
As a physician, botanist, intellectual and artist of merit, Brotero was a prolific author, highly regarded in the European scientific community. His work, particularly well represented in the FMUL-IDC Library, filled important gaps in the Portuguese scientific editorial panorama. This is the case of Flora Lusitana, where around 1800 species are identified, several for the first time.
In his Princípios de Agricultura Philosophica (Principles of Philosophical Agriculture), he identifies the problems of Portuguese agriculture and proposes that it is guided according to scientific principles, taking into account the implications for the economy and the livelihood of the Portuguese people.
BROTERO, Félix de Avelar, 1744-1828
Principios de agricultura philosophica / by Felix Avellar Brotero. - Coimbra : at Real Imprensa da Universidade, 1793. - [4], 115, [1 br.] p. ; 8º
FMUL-IDC Library Reference: RES. 12
BROTERO, Félix de Avelar, 1744-182
Flora lusitanica : seu plantarum, quae in Lusitania vel sponte crescunt, vel frequentius coluntur, ex florum praesertim sexubus systematice distributarum, synopsis / [by] Felicis Avellar Broteri. - Olisipone [i. e Lisbon] : Ex Typ. Regia, 1804. - 2 V. (XVIII, 607 p. 557 p.) ; 20,5 cm
FMUL-IDC Library Reference: RES. 15 A
André Rodrigues
Library and Information Area