NIEMOJEWSKI
East India Company, but he returned to
England in 1776 and became commercial
agent in Europe of Josiah Wedgwood.
Later he taught mathematics in a London
school. Nicholson wrote an Introduction
to Natural Philosophy (2 vols., 1781) and
other scientific works, and translated works
of Chaptal and others from the French.
For some years he edited the Journal of
Natural Philosophy ; and he made various
discoveries in chemistry and invented a
number of instruments. His Rationalist
views are given in his Doubts of the Infidels
(1781), which was much esteemed in the
early Eationalist movement. D. May 21,
1815.
NICOLAI, Christoph Friedrich,
German literary critic. B. Mar. 18, 1733. Ed. Halle Orphan School. The pious atmosphere of the school nauseated Nicolai, and he early developed Eationalist senti ments. He became a bookseller at Frank fort, and educated himself so effectively that he came to be regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the Aufklarung. His first book was a study of Milton (1753), and he worked for some years with Lessing. In 1793 he founded the " New Universal German Library," which ran to fifty volumes, and some of the ablest men of the time gathered round him ; though he had an unfortunate feud with Goethe and his admirers. Nicolai was one of the finest assthetists and literary critics of his day, and an advanced Eationalist (see, espe cially, his novel, Leben und Meinungen des Magisters Sebaldus Bothanker, 3 vols., 1773-76, which is a pungent satire on orthodoxy). He included many works of English and French Deists in his "Library," and was bitterly assailed by theologians for spreading " infidelity." D. Jan. 11, 1811.
NIEBUHR, Professor Barthold Georg,
German historian and statesman. B. Aug. 27, 1776. Ed. private schools and Kiel University. From 1796 to 1798 he was private secretary to Count Schimmel- mann, and he then studied for two years 555
at London and Edinburgh. In 1800 he
entered the Danish Civil Service, and in
1806 he took an important position in the
Prussian State service. For two years
(1810-12) he lectured on Eoman history
at the new Berlin University, but he
returned to his work in the financial
department, and in 1816 he was sent as
diplomatic agent to Eome. During his
seven years at Eome Niebuhr perfected
the vast knowledge of ancient Eome which
made him one of the greatest European
authorities on the subject. He lectured
at Bonn University after his return to
Germany, and continued to write his great
Eoman History (3 vols., 1811-32), which
occupied him for more than twenty years.
He knew twenty languages, and was a
man of extraordinary erudition. His Bonn
lectures fill seven volumes, and his graceful
Stoiies of Greek Heroes had a very wide
circulation. In the Life and Letters of
B. G. Niebuhr (English version by S.
Winkworth, 3 vols., 1852) it is explained
that, although Niebuhr was always a Theist,
he had entirely rejected Christianity (ii,
118-29). In earlier years he was aggres
sive, but he refused in later years to discuss
religion, and thought it good for the masses.
He expressly disclaimed the name of Chris
tian (i, 345), and said : " I would not over
throw the dead Church ; but, if she fall, it
will cause me no uneasiness." He refused,
when urged by Bunsen, to apply his
historical method to the Gospels, and
deprecated active criticism, but he added :
" I cannot on that account go over to the
opposite party " (ii, 126). D. Jan. 2, 1831.
NIEMOJEWSKI, Andre, Polish writer. B. Jan. 23, 1863. Ed. Dorpat. He studied law, and then entered the business world, but since 1897 he has devoted himself to letters and the study of religion. In 1899 his advanced opinions brought upon him an imprisonment for three months. In 1902 his chief work, Legends, was sup pressed in Austria and Eussia, but Niemo- jewski won the right of circulation after a prolonged struggle. He dissolves the 556
