tions, and those excellent editions of the classics which have made his name familiar in the learned world. As a divine, he disliked the modern philosophical innovations in the study of theology, and was alike hostile to infidelity and superstition. He died, with the character of a man of consummate learning and irreproachable character, Sept. 11, 1781. Among his valuable editions of the classics are, 1. His "Homer," Leipsic, 1759, 5 vols. 8vo, which may be ranked among the very best. It is formed on the basis of Clarke's, containing his text and notes, and the various. readings of a Leipsic manuscript, with those of the ancient editions. 2." Callimachus," Leyden, 1761, 2 vols. 8vo, containing, besides the preface, notes, and version of Ernesti, many grammatical and critical observations of Hemsterhusius and Ruhnkenius, and the whole of what is valuable in Grævius. 3. "Cicero," of whose works he published three editions, the first at Leipsic, 1737, 5 vols. the others at Halle, 1758 and 1774, in 8 vols. 8vo. The second and third, which are the most correct, contain the famous "Clavis Ciceroniana," which has been published separately. 4. "Tacitus," Leipsic, 1752, 1772, 2 vols. 8yo, both valuable, although there are more errors and omissions than could have been wished; yet the preface, notes, and indexes are interesting and useful. 5. "Suetonius,' two editions, at Leipsic, 1748 and 1775, 8vo, but neither correct, or indeed at all valuable. 6. Aristophanes's "Nubes," Leipsic, 1788, a very useful edition, with the ancient scholia, and remarks by the editor and by Nagelius. 7. Xenophon's "Memorabilia," of which there have been several editions, 1737, 1742, 1755, &c. The best is that of Leipsic, 1772. Ernesti's other works are, 8. "Initia doctrinæ solidioris," Leipsic, 1783, 8vo, the seventh edition. 9. "Institutio interpretis Novi Testamenti," Leipsic, 1775, 8vo, the third edition, which Alberti of Leyden calls à "golden work." 10. An improved edition of Hederic's Lexicon, 1754 and 1767. 11. A "Theological Library," 1760-1771, 11 vols. 8vo. 12. "Opuscula Oratoria, Orationes, Prolusiones et Elogia," Leyden, 1762, 8vo. This contains thirteen very elegant and judicious academical discourses, pronounced on different occasions, with the same number of historical eloges. The subjects of the discourses are, 1. Of the study of the belles lettres. That eloquence has its real source in the heart. 3. That we must conform to the laws of criticism in the study of

2.

5. Of the

divinity. 4. Of the revolutions of eloquence. conditions to be observed for studying and teaching philosophy with success. 6. Of the advantages of real learning. 7. The arts of peace and war. 8. A parallel between the Greek and Roman writers.. 9. Of the name of one's country. 10. Of joining the art of thinking to that of speaking. 11. Of the desire of praise and reputation. 12. Of popular philosophy; and, 13. Of moral or practicable philosophy. These discourses are written in an easy flowing style, and in elegant Latinity. 11. "Opusculorum oratoriorum, novum volumen," Leipsic, 1791, 8vo: this and another volume published in 1794, forms a complete collection of Ernesti's smaller tracts. 12. "Archæologia literaria," Leipsic, 1768, 8vo, to which we may add his excellent new edition, of which he lived to publish only 3 volumes, of" Fabricii Bibl. Græca."- His nephew, AUGUSTUS WILLIAM ERNESTI, was born in 1733, and died in 1801 at Leipsic, where he was professor of eloquence in that university from 1770, and well known by his edition of Livy, Quintilian, and other classics. To the university library there he bequeathed his very complete collection of the works of Camerarius; and to that of the Senate, his collection of the editions and MSS. of Cicero, to complete the Ciceronian collection already in it.'

ERPENIUS (THOMAS), or, as he was called in Dutch, Thomas van Erpe, a very learned writer, and eminently skilled in the oriental tongues, was descended, both by his father and mother's side, from noble families at Boisleduc in Brabant, which place his parents had quitted on account of their adherence to the protestant religion, and was born at Gorcum in Holland, Sept. 11, 1584. From his earliest years he shewed a peculiar disposition for learning, which induced his father, though no scholar himself, to send him to Leyden, where he began his studies, and prosecuted them with such success, as to excite the admiration of his masters. In 1608, at the age of eighteen, he was admitted into the university of that city, where he took the degree of doctor in philosophy. Vossius informs us, that, soon after he became a student in that place, he grew so diffident of succeeding in his labours, as to have thoughts of laying them entirely aside; but that, being encouraged to persevere, and inspired with fresh courage, he made him

Dict. Hist.-Rees's Cyclopædia.-Dibdin's Classics.

self master of several branches of literature, and particularly metaphysics, in the pursuit of which last, his patience appears to have been invincible. He is said to have read over not only Aristotle, but likewise a great number of his interpreters, with all the commentaries of Suarez; in which he was so conversant, that, several years after he had gone through his course of philosophy, and was engaged in other studies, he could give a distinct account of the contents of almost every page of that vast work.

He had already passed through a course of divinity, and gained a considerable skill in the oriental languages, to which he had applied himself at the persuasion of Joseph Scaliger, who foresaw his future fame in that important branch of knowledge, and afterwards travelled into England, France, Italy, and Germany; in which countries he contracted an acquaintance with the most learned men. While at London, he became acquainted with Bedell, who was excellently skilled in the oriental tongues. He continued a year in Paris, where he learned Arabic of an Egyptian Jacobine, named Barbatus, and gained the friendship of Isaac Casaubon, among whose letters are several to Erpenius. In one of April the 7th, 1610, he exhorts him to prosecute his studies in the Arabic tongue, urging that "it would be of the greatest importance to learning; that if he looked round the Christian world, he would find no person who had taken the proper method to gain the wished-for point in that kind of literature; that Joseph Scaliger had disappointed their hopes; that Bedell, though a man of great learning, proceeded slowly; that the German who made so great a noise, was not to be depended on; that the Italians, after raising great expectations, had of a sudden deserted them; in short, that himself was the only person who had laid a solid and firm foundation for a future superstructure." During his stay at Venice, by the assistance of some learned Jews and Turks, he acquired the knowledge of the Turkish, Persian, and Ethiopic languages; and he distinguished himself in Italy to such advantage, that he was offered a stipend of 500 ducats a year, to translate some Arabic books into Latin.

After four years spent in his travels, he returned to Leyden in July 1612, about which time there was a design to invite him to England, and to settle a liberal stipend on him; but in the February following, he was chosen by the curators of that university, professor of the Arabic

and other oriental tongues, except the Hebrew, of which there was already a professor. He filled this chair with great applause, and soon after set up, at an extraordinary expence, a press for the eastern languages, at which he printed a great many excellent works. October 1616, he married a daughter of a counsellor in the court of Holland, by whom he had seven children, three of whom survived him. In 1619 the curators of the university erected a second chair for the Hebrew language, of which they appointed him professor. In 1620 he was sent by the prince of Orange and the states of Holland into France, to solicit Peter du Moulin, or Andrew Rivet, to undertake the professorship of divinity at Leyden; but, not prevailing then, he was sent again the year following, and after six months stay in France, procured Rivet, with the consent of the French churches, to remove to Leyden. Some time after his return the states of Holland appointed him their interpreter, and employed him to translate the letters they received from the several princes of Africa and Asia, and also to write letters in the oriental languages; and the emperor of Morocco was so pleased with the purity of his Arabic style, that he shewed his letters to his nobles, as a great curiosity, for their elegance and propriety. In the midst of these employments, he was seized with a contagious disease, then epidemical, of which he died Nov. 13, 1624, aged only forty years. The learned of his time lamented him, and wrote the highest eulogiums upon him, as indeed he well deserved, for he was not only most eminent as a scholar, but as a man of great piety and benevolence, Besides the advantageous offer made him in Italy, he rejected another from the king of Spain and the archbishop of Seville, who invited him into that kingdom to explain certain Arabic inscriptions. Gerard John Vossius made his funeral oration in Latin, which was printed at Leyden, 1625, in 4to; and the same year were published at the same place, in 4to, Peter Scriverius's "Manes Erpeniani, cum epicediis variorum.'

con.

His works, which have spread his name all over the world, are, 1. "Annotationes ad lexicon Arabicum Francisci Raphelengii," Leyden, 1613, 4to, printed with the Lexi2. Grammatica Arabica," 1613, 4to. 3. "Proverbiorum Arabicorum centuriæ II. Arabicè & Latinè, cum scholiis Josephi Scaligeri & Thomæ Erpenii," 1614, 4to. Scaliger having translated and written notes upon part of

8.

the Arabian proverbs, Casaubon engaged Erpenius, Scaliger being dead, to complete that work. 4. "Lockmanni fabulæ & selecta quædam Arabum adagia, cum interpretatione Latina & notis," 1615, 8vo; Amst. 1636, and 1656, in 4to, with the Arabic grammar just mentioned. 5. "Giarumia grammatica de centum regentibus, sive linguæ Arabiæ particulis, Arabicè & Latinè, cum notis,' 1617, 4to. Giarumia is an Arabic grammar, which takes its name from its author, and is highly esteemed in Asia and Africa. 6. "Novum Testamentum, Arabicè," 1615, 4to. This is an ancient Arabic version, whose author is not known. 7. "Historia Josephi patriarchæ ex Alcorano, Arabicè, cum versione Latina & notis," 1617, 4to. "Canones de literarum EVI apud Arabes natura & permutatione," 1618, 4to. 9. "Rudimenta linguæ Arabicæ," 1620, 8vo: an improved edition of this was published by Schultens, at Leyden, in 1733, 4to, with a collection of Arabic sentences and a key of dialects. 10. "Versio & notæ ad Arabicam paraphrasin in evangelium Joannis," 1620. 11. "Grammatica Hebræa," 1621, 8vo. 12. "Orationes tres de linguarum Hebreæ atque Arabicæ dignitate," 1621, 8vo. 13. "Pentateuchus Mosis, Arabicè," 1622, 4to. This version is ancient, and was made by a Christian. 14. Elmacini historia Saracenica," &c. 1625, fol. "Psalmi Davidis, Syriacè, cum versione Latina," 1625, 4to. 16. "Grammatica Chaldæa & Syra," 1628, 8vo. "De peregrinatione Gallica utiliter instituenda tractatus,” 1631, 12mo. 18. "Præcepta de lingua Græcorum communi," 1662, 8vo. 19. "Arcanum punctationis revelatum," &c. 1624, 4to. The whole of these were printed at Leyden, and some of them, the reader sees, are posthumous; he had a design to have published an edition of the Koran, with an accurate Latin version and notes, and a confutation of it where it was necessary; a “Thesaurus Grammaticus" for the Arabic tongue; and a lexicon of the same language. But he was prevented by death from exe, cuting these designs; as we are informed by Mr. Chappelow, in the preface to his "Elementa linguæ Arabica ex Erpenii rudimentis, ut plurimum, desunipta. Cujus praxi grammaticæ novam legendi praxin addidit Leonardus Chappelow, linguæ Arabicæ apud Cantabrigienses professor," Lond. 1730, 8vo.1

15.

17.

Gen. Dict.-Niceron, vol. V.-Freheri Theatrum.-Moreri.-Foppen Bibl. Belg. Clement Bibl. Curieuse.-Saxii Onomast.