Benjamin Franklin de Ramiz Galvão (1846–1938) was a Brazilian doctor, scholar, administrator and public intellectual.

Early life and education

He was born in

Rio Pardo Rio Pardo is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. The population is 34,654 (2022 census) in an area of 2051 km². The elevation is 41 m. See also * List of municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul References

...

, and grew up in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

where he attended Colégio Amante da Instrução and

Colégio Pedro II ''Colégio Pedro II'' (Pedro II School) is a federal public school located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Named after Pedro II of Brazil, it was established on 2 December 1837, and made official by Imperial decree on 20 December of the same ...

, the latter on a scholarship. He trained as a doctor and later taught at the Rio de Janeiro School of Medicine.

Career

A precocious talent, he published his first book aged just 19. He went on to teach and publish in a wide variety of fields. Among his works on Portuguese philology was the controversial ''Vocabulário etimológico, ortográfico e prosódico das palavras portuguesas derivadas da língua grega'', published in 1909. As a translator, he translated the war memoir ''Le retraite de Laguna'' by the Viscount of Taunay, from French into Portuguese. He was tutor to the children of

Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil '' Dona'' Isabel (29 July 1846 – 14 November 1921), called "the Redemptress", was the Princess Imperial ( heiress presumptive to the throne) of the Empire of Brazil and the Empire's regent on three occasions. Born in Rio de Janeiro as th ...

through the 1880s. He even taught Greek to Emperor Pedro II himself; the latter made him a baron in 1888. He held numerous other important positions throughout his career. He was director of the National Library for 12 years, and he was the first rector of the

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (, UFRJ) is a public university, public research university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the largest federal university in the country and is one of the Brazilian centers of excellence in teaching and r ...

. He succeeded

Carlos de Laet Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhe ...

to the

Brazilian Academy of Letters The Academia Brasileira de Letras (ABL; English: ''Brazilian Academy of Letters'') is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on Tuesday, ...

, serving as a member from 1928 to his death in 1938. He was president of the academy in 1933–34. He was also a member of other learned bodies such as the National Academy of Medicine.

Death and legacy

He died in Rio in 1938, aged 91. A neighbourhood in his hometown of Rio Pardo is now named after him.

References

{{Authority control Brazilian writers 1846 births 1938 deaths