The life of Cardinal Mezzofanti; with an introductory memoir of eminent linguists, ancient and modern
by Charles William Russell, 1812-1880
https://archive.org/details/lifeofcardinalme00russ
"Joseph Caspar Mezzofanti (1774-1849) was an Italian Cardinal who spoke more than 38 languages fluently. He never left Italy and yet managed to learn how to speak languages without accent. People from all over the world came to challenge him in their native tongue. They all reported their amazement at this man's fluency. The life of Mezzofanti is of considerable interest to language enthusiasts."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Caspar_Mezzofanti