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herb. A strong censure of Charles Patin's Introduction à l'Histoire par la connoissance des Medailles, excited the bile of Guy Patin, his father, who spared nobody who displeased him; and who, to avenge his son, declaimed with violence against the Journal, and its author. His letters are full of bitter complaints on this subject; and we see by the vivacity of his expressions, how much he was piqued.

Not content with complaints, they had influence enough with the powers in being, to stop the Journal, about three months after the 13th vol. had been given to the Public. M. de Sallo then abandoned it to the Abbé Gallois, who recommenced it the following year.

His attachment to study produced maladies some years before his death, which forced him to be borne to his carriage, when he went out: but the pleasure of study consoled him for this misfortune. Among these studies was the acquaintance with modern languages. (See Schelhorn, Amæn. Lit. 542.)

He died in 1669, aged 43. He was of an agreeable character; loved to speak his thoughts freely; and mortally hated constraint: but was too satirical.

NICERON, IX. 272, 280.

ART. LXIV. JOHN ALBERT FABRICIUS.

1. Joh. Albert. Fabricii Bibliotheca Græca, sive Notitia

Scriptorum Veterum Græcorum quorumcunque Monumenta integra aut fragmenta edita extant, tùm plerorumque è MSS. ac deperditis, editio tertia; cui accedit Empedoclis Sphæra, et Marcelli Sideta Carmen de Medicamentis et Piscibus. Gr. et Lat. cum brevibus notis. Hamburgi, 1718, et ann. seqq. 14 vol. 4.o

2. Ejusdem Fabricii Bibliotheca Latina, sive Notitia Auctorum Veterum Latinorum quorum Scripta ad nos pervenerunt, in Libros IV. distributa, cum Supplementis in suis quibusque locis insertis. Venetiis, 1728. 2 vol. 4.°

3. Ejusdem Fabricii Bibliotheca Latina Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis, cum Supplemento Christiani Schoettgenii, ex editione et cum notis Joannis Dominici Mansi. Patavii, 1754. in 6 vol. in 4.°

Edit. prior. Hamburg. 1734.-1746.

JOHN ALBERT FABRICIUS was born at Leipsic, th Nov. 1668, the son of Werner Fabricius, originally of the Duchy of Holstein, who had

II.

extensive knowlege of the Belles Lettres, and a good turn for poetry; and who died in 1679, leaving his son an orphan. But the son fell under the pupillage of Valentin Alberti, a celebrated Theologian and Philosopher, to whom his father on his death-bed recommended him. The Adversaria of Berthius, and the Polyhistor of Morhoff were among his early favourite reading. He took the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy, 27. Nov. 1686; and of Master of Arts, 26.th Jan. 1688, lauded with praises of the Professors. He immediately afterwards commenced giving to the Public the fruit of his literary

labours.

But the facility with which he studied, left him leisure to cultivate an extensive acquain

tance.

In 1693, he quitted Leipsic for Hamburgh, to see his relations: he was however stopped at Bergdorff, by the afflicting intelligence that his patrimony was exhausted; and that his old Tutor was already in advance to him. But Providence conducted him to Hamburgh, where the famous Theologian, I. Fred. Mayer, received him hospitably into his house; and made him his Librarian. Here he remained five years, giving himself up to his studies with incredible ardor. He distinguished himself by his powers of disputation, his preaching and his writings.

His reputation began to spread; and his candour and modesty added to its lustre. He kept himself aloof from Party, where Party was hot; and was received with joy on all sides. In 1696, he was appointed Professor of Eloquence and Morals at Hamburgh. For ten years, he gave ten hours of lecture a day. The ten following, it did not extend beyond eight or nine hours: and at last from seven to eight, till the exhausture of his powers diminished it to four or five. It is difficult to conceive how he could find time to read so many works; to compose such multitudes of them; and to embrace all sorts of study. He was also easy of access, both to strangers, and young scholars. He corrected twice at the press every sheet of his writings; and sometimes performed the same service for others. His public Discourses pronounced at the Solemnities of the Academy, were much laboured; and he revised carefully those of his pupils.

He was enabled to do this by the quickness of his spirit, which enabled him to penetrate at once the whole of what he read; by a faithful memory, and a marvellous facility in speaking and writing. He devoured books, and appropriated to himself the substance, and even the essence. He seized on that which was new in a work, and worthy of attention; and passed with rapidity over all the rest. He could not bear idle

ness; and was as prompt in the execution, as in the design. Many days passed in reading, meditating, and writing, were so far from fatiguing him, that they seemed to give him new vigour. His memory was so good, that he always seemed ready for discourse, particularly upon Literary History, with as much precision, as if he had the books before him; their titles; the names of the Authors; their places; their dates: etc. He knew exactly the separate place of twenty thousand volumes, of which his library consisted, without referring to the Catalogue.

In one word, Nature provided him with all the qualities of mind, which could facilitate his studies.

Providence seconded marvellously these natural qualities, in granting him a life exempt from maladies; and from those sinister accidents, which could disturb his tranquillity. His constitution was so vigorous, that he scarcely knew an illness during the first thirty years of his life. To these may be added that abstinence from medicine, which chose to leave nature to herself, to surmount those little disorders to which the human frame is subject. He attributed to the use of Coffee, which he took twice a day, the expulsion of an inconvenient fever, which was accustomed to attack him in the spring.

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