The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Büsching, Anton Friedrich

BÜSCHING, Anton Friedrich, a German geographer, born at Stadthagen, in Schaumburg-Lippe, Sept. 27, 1724, died in Berlin, May 28, 1793. His first geographical work, a description of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, was published in 1752. In 1754 he became professor of philosophy at Göttingen, and in 1761 pastor of the German Lutheran church in St. Petersburg. In 1766 he removed to Berlin. His most important work, the Erdbeschreibung, of which the first volume was published at Hamburg in 1754, was continued by various authors down to 1807. That division of it in which he describes the countries and nations of Europe (12 parts) was translated into English (6 vols. 4to, London, 1762). He wrote many other works, among which are Epitome Theologiæ (Lemgo, 1757) and Grundriss zu einer Geschichte der Philosophie (2 vols., Eisfeld, 1772-'84).