La libera muratoria del XVIII secolo nelle lettere dall'esilio di Giacomo Costantino Beltrami

The freemasonry, a crucial point in understanding Giacomo Costantino Beltrami's literary contribution to travel fiction at the beginning of the 19th century, represented an influential and contemporary historical-cultural reality in the vast European literary panorama at the turning point between the 18th and 19th centuries. The analysis of the travel letters written by Giacomo Costantino Beltrami from his exile in the New World reveals his advanced worldview related to the political, religious and social authorities toward Native Americans, together with the peculiarity of his literary production. His philanthropic ideal of knowledge was strongly influenced by the principles of peace, harmony and brotherly friendship that constituted the essence of the Masonic order. KEYWORDS. Freemasonry; Risorgimento (Italian unification movement); Exiletravel letters; New World.