MS. as it contained many circumstances of a particular nature, and which were to be found no where else. I believe the learned M. Peiresc* had a book of this description; at least I remember in the catalogue of his MSS. the following title: " Diarium Pontificatûs Leonis X." Nicholas Claude F. Peiresc was an eminent French antiquary, and an illustrious ornament of the seventeenth century. He employed an affluent fortune in collecting scarce books, manuscripts, and medals. He conversed in person, and corresponded by letter, with the most eminent scholars of his age, on the continent and in England. To many persons employed on curious researches, he generously sent as a present scarce books, medals, &c. to the great diminution of his valuable collections. He assisted by his own labour many of the literati in their most celebrated works. Grotius acknowledged the great assistance given him by Peiresc in his famous book De Jure Belli et Pacis, in a letter to him dated January 11, 1624. His attention to the promotion of learning was prodigious and unremitted; which turn of mind gave occasion to Bayle to entitle Peiresc the Attorney General of the Republic of Letters. His funeral was attended by a numerous body of learned men; and the eulogies on his memory there recited were afterwards and verse, published in prose and in ten languages, under the title of Panglossia. His chief works are, "Commentarii rerum omnium memoria dignarum sua ætate gestarum; Liber de ludicris naturæ operibus; Mathematica et Astronomica varia; Linguæ Orientales, &c. et Indices librorum harum linguarum; Nummi Gallici, Saxonici, Britannici, &c." ON THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY, AS CRUEL AS FAIR. Pour Chloris on fit ce portrait; Mais on n'y peut voir aucun trait IMITATED. The artist here design'd to trace A SINGULAR CUSTOM. Formerly in Bearn, a province of France, a singular custom prevailed. When the wife was brought to bed, the woman arose, and her husband succeeded to her place, and to all the ceremonies attending that situation. I imagine that the people of Bearn received this custom from the Spani ards, of whom Strabo in his third book of Geography relates the same usage. The same ridiculous farce was acted among the Tibarenians*, according to Nymphodorus, in his admirable Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, book ii. and among the Tartars, as Marco Paulo the Venetian relates, book ii. chap. 41; whose voyages are no longer considered fabulous, since more modern travellers have confirmed his accounts. ADRIAN JUNIUS†. Vossius told me that M. S***, known by his edition of some curious MSS. more than for his erudition, came expressly from * Tibareni, a people of Themiscyra, in Cappadocia. Plin. vi. 4. et Dionys. 766. Adrian Junius was born at Horn in Holland, 1511. He was an eminent physician and profound scholar. Among his numerous works are a Greek and Latin Dictionary, containing 6500 words added by him; and various commentaries on Seneca, Pliny, Virgil, Horace, Nonius Marcellus, and Suidas.. Besides these works, his Nomenclator exhibits wonderful diligence and erudition. It is said that he understood eight languages; viz. Greek, Latin, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Flemish, and English: which species of knowledge he had much improved by his extensive travels into various countries. -Bayle, Art. A, Junius. his own country to visit Adrian Junius. On calling at his lodgings he was informed that Junius was at a public house, carousing with some carmen. M. S***, in great disgust conceived at this account, left Holland without calling on Junius any more. When that illustrious scholar was told of these circumstances, he pleaded as an apology for keeping the company of carters, that he frequented their society for the purpose of learning the terms of their language. ERASMUS'S DEVICE ON A RING. I saw, in the possession of M. Vossius, a copper medal well executed, representing on one side the person of Erasmus, and on the other side the figure of the god Terminus, with this motto, " Concedo nulli Terminus*," which was likewise engraven These words, used by allude to the following cirBefore the building of the *❝I Terminus yield to no one." Erasmus as a device on his ring, cumstance in the Roman history. Capitol, all the temples of the other gods were desecrated, except that of Terminus the god of boundaries. See Livy, book i. chap. 55.-Terminus, by a metaphor, signifies death, as the end or boundary of life: Quandoquidem vitæ depactus Terminus, &c. on his ring. A Spanish Cordelier named Carvajel reproached Erasmus with arrogance, for insinuating by this device that he would yield to no one in learning. Erasmus in answer explained the motto with his usual dexterity; saying, that the intent of it was to remind him of death. FREDERIC MOREL*. Vossius told me the following story of this great scholar and eminent printer. Whilst he was employed on his edition of Libanius, one day he was told that his wife was suddenly taken ill. "I have only two or three sentences to translate, and then I will come and look at her." A second message informed him that she was dying. "I have only two words to write, and I will be there as soon as you,” replied Morel. At length he was told that his wife was dead. * Frederic Morel died in 1630. He succeeded his father Frederic as printer to the King of France, which place his ancestors had long held and deserved by their diligence and learning. Frederic the son was superior to the father, and exceeded by no scholar whatever in his very ardent and extraordinary attachment to literature. His editions are very numerous and excellent. |