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HISTORY OF PRINTING.
as rapidly translated into the several European languages. His lordship, prior to printing it, offered up the following ejaculation : — ^" thou eternal God, author of the light which now shines upon me, and giver of all inward illumin- ations, lam not satisfied whether I should pub- lish this book De Veritate; if it be for thy giory, I beseech thee give me some sign from heaven ; if not, I shall suppress it." It is said the sign was received, ana accordingly the book was printed.
Edward lord Herbert, of Cherbury, was born in 1M1. On the breaking out of the civil wars he espoused the interest of the parliament, and being plundered by the king's forces, he obtained a pension. He was one of the most romantic and extraordinary persons of his age : his bio- grapher states, " the most eminent and accom- plished men of his time courted his intimacy, and the women procured miniature copies of his picture, and wore them secretiy about their per- sons. He died at London in 1648.
1645. Antoine Vitray, or Titbe, printed the celebrated Pami'o/w{ot(,in seven languages, Hebrew, Samaritan, Chaldee, Greek, Synac, Latin, and Arabic; and no work executed in France during tliis century, was equal in splen- dour or celebritT to this magnificent under- tiJcing, published under the auspices and at the sole expense of M. Le Jay.*
The design of this great work originated with cardinal Perron, who conceived the idea of re- printing the AntiDerp Polyglott, with additions; but the cardinal dying in 1617, before the Poly-
Slott had been commenced, M. Le Jay became le patron of the undertaking, which was begnin in 1638, and completed in 10 vols, imperial folio. It contains all that is in the Complutensian or Antwerp editions, with several important additions, particularly of the Samaritan Penta- teuch, whicn was first printed in this Polyglott, with its version, from manuscripts brought into Europe between 1620 and 1630. One great inconvenience in the work is, that the Samaritan, the Syriac,and the Arabic, are not placed in para- llel columns. It is also defective in having no " apparatus," orprolegomena ; and being destitute of the grammars and lexicons accompanying the former Polyglotts ; and consequently, though more splendid, much less useful than Uie Pciy. glott of London.
1645, Aw. 28. Died, Hugo Grotius, an illustrious Dutch writer, whose works in the different departments of learning are believed
- Onl Michel le Jay was an advocate in parliament,
eminent for bis piofbond knowledg:e of langoa^a. He expended 100,000 crowna in the paMication of the P0I7- clott, which was offered to sale in England, bnt at too high a price to be accepted. Cardinal lUcheliea offered to reimlnine the expeiues, on condition of havtnK his own name alBzed to It ; bat the high-spirited Le Jaj refused the |>ropaaal, and tlie cardinal meanly endeavoured to de- predate the work, by countenancing certain persons to write against it. The fortune of Le Jay being Uius ruined, and he having become a widower, he adopted the ecclesiastical life, was made dean of Veialai, and at length counsellor of state, by Louis XIV. He died in 1079.
to have had a decisive influence in the dif- fusion of an enlightened and liberal manner of thinking in affain of science. He was born at Delft, in Holland, April 10, 1583, and while a child acquired fame for his extraordinary attainments. At the age of eight he composed Latin verses of great merit. In his twelfth year he was sent to Leyden under the care of Fran- cis Junius. In 1598 he accompanied the am- bassador Bameveldt to the court of Henry TV. of France, who was so pleased with Giotius, that he gave him his picture and a gold chain ; whUe in France he took the degree of doctor of laws. The year following he commenced practice as an advocate, and pleaded his first cause at Delft. Soon afterwards he published an edition of Martianta Capella, which was well received by the learned. This was followed by the translation of a work of Stevinus, on finding a ship's place at sea. His edition of the Phenomena of Aratus appeared in 1600, and about the same time he composed Latin tragedies on sacred subjects. He was now appointed historiographer of the united provinces, and advocate-general of the treasury for Holland and Zealand. In the year 1608, Grotius married Mary Reigersberg, whose father had been burgomaster of Veer. The wife was worthy of the husband, and her value was duly appreciated. Through many changes of fortune they lived together in the utmost harmony and mutual confidence. In 1609, he published his famous book on the liberty of the sea, which was answered by the learned Selden. About this time also appeared his TreatuedeAntigvitateReipublie»B(Ueme, to prove the independence of Batavia of the Ro- mans. In 1613 he accepted the postof pensioner of Rotterdam, by which means he obtained a seat in the states of Holland.
Grotius lived in an evil time, when society was unhappily distracted by furious religious and political disputes. Mankind were mad with theological controversy, and Christian charity, amidst the tumult of parties, was entirely for- gotten. Giotius was an Armenian and republi- can, and his professional pursuits soon involved him in a strife, which it was next to impossible to avoid. Bameveldt, his early patron, who possessed similar sentiments, was seized and brought to trial, and Grotius supported him by his pen and influence. In 1619, Bameveldt, on the charge of rebellion, was brought to the scaffold and beheaded, and his friend Grotius was sentenced to imprisonment for life in the fortress of Louvestein, in South Holland. After this very rigorous and unfair proceeding, his estates were confiscated.
Literature added its powerful charm to his domestic consolations; and he who has a good wife, and is surrounded by good books, may defy the world. Accordingly, we find Grotius pursuing his studies with cheerful contentment, in uie fortress where he was con- demned to remain during life. But his faithful wife was resolved to procure his freedom. Tlwse who trusted her with him must have had a small
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