said that Abdias was an impostor, who pretended that he had seen our Saviour, that he was one of the seventy-two disciples, had been an eye-witness of the lives and martyrdom of several of the apostles, and had followed St. Simon and St. Jude into Persia, where he was made the first bishop of Babylon. From what he saw, he compiled a work entitled "Historia certaminis Apostolici." This work Wolfgang Lazius, a physician of Vienna, and historiographer to the emperor Ferdinand I. (hereafter noticed) found in manuscript in a cave of Carinthia, and believing it to be genuine, originally written in Hebrew, translated into Greek by one Europius, a disciple of Abdias, and into Latin by Africanus, published it at Basil in 1551, after which it was several times reprinted, but, on examination both by Papist and Protestant writers, was soon discovered to be a gross imposture, from the many anachronisms which occur. Melancthon, who saw it in ma nuscript, was one of the first to detect it; and the greater part of the learned men in Europe, at the time of publication, were of opinion that Abdias was a fictitious personage, and that it was neither written in Hebrew, nor translated into Greek or Latin: Fabricius has proved from internal evidence that it was first written in Latin, but that the author borrowed from various ancient memoirs, which were originally in Greek. As to the age of the writer, some have placed him in the fifth and some in the sixth century, or later. The object of the work is to recommend chastity and celibacy'.

ABDOLLATIPH, an eminent Persian historian and philosopher, was born at Bagdad, in the 557th year of the Hegira, or the 1161st of the Christian æra. Having been educated with the greatest care by his father, who was himself a man of learning, and resided in a capital which abounded with the best opportunities of instruction, he distinguished himself by an early proficiency, not only in rhetoric, history, and poetry, but also in the more severe studies of Mahommedan theology. To the acquisition of medical knowledge he applied with peculiar diligence; and it was chiefly with this view that he left Bagdad, in his 28th year, in order to visit other countries. At Mosul, in Mesopotamia, whither he first directed his course, he found the attention of the students entirely confined to the che

1 Fabricii Bibl. Græc.-Saxii Onomasticon.-Bayle in Gen. Dict.Care, Hist. Lit. I. 27. The best account is in Chaufepie, Dict. Hist.

mistry of that day, with which he was already sufficiently acquainted. He therefore removed to Damascus, where the grammarian Al Kindi then enjoyed the highest reputation; and with him Abdollatiph is said to have engaged in a controversy on some subjects of grammar and philology, which was ably conducted on both sides, but terminated in favour of our author.

At this time Egypt had yielded to the arms of Saladin, who was marching against Palestine for the purpose of wresting that country from the hands of the Christians; yet towards Egypt Abdollatiph was irresistibly impelled by that literary curiosity which so strongly marked his character. The defeat, however, of the Saracens by the English king Richard, had plunged the Sultan into melancholy, and prevented our traveller from being admitted into his presence; but the favours which he received evinced the munificence of Saladin, and he pursued his purpose, visiting Cairo, where his talents procured him a welcome reception. From this he withdrew, in order to present himself before the Sultan, who, having concluded a truce with the Franks, then resided in Jerusalem. Here he was received by Saladin with every expression of esteem, and Saladin granted him a liberal pension, which was increased by his son and successor, till the unnatural ambition of his uncle forced him from the throne of Egypt and of Syria; and thus our traveller was compelled to resort again to Damascus, after a short abode at Jerusalem : where his oral lectures, and his written treatises, were equally the objects of general admiration. At Damascus he distinguished himself chiefly by his medical skill and knowledge; but nothing could detain him from travelling in pursuit of higher improvement, and on this account, he left Damascus, and after having visited Aleppo, resided several years in Greece. in Greece. With the same view he travelled through Syria, Armenia, and Asia Minor, still adding to the number of his works, many of which he dedicated to the princes whose courts he visited. After this, sentiments of devotion induced him to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca; but he first determined to pay a visit to his native country, and had scarcely reached Bagdad, when he was suddenly attacked by a distemper, of which he died, A. D. 1223, in the 63d year of his age.

Of one hundred and fifty treatises, on various subjects of medicine, natural philosophy, and polite literature, which

have been ascribed to Abdollatiph, one only is to be found in the libraries of Europe. It is entitled "Al-kital Alsagir," or his "Little Book," being an abridgment of a larger history of Egypt. Of this compendium, one manuscript only has yet been discovered by the industry of European scholars, and is now in the Bodleian library. An edition of it was published in 1800, by professor White of Oxford (from whose preface the above particulars have been taken), enriched with valuable notes, and a translation into Latin. A very learned account and criticism on this work appeared in the Monthly Review for April 1802.

ABEILLE (GASPAR) was born at Riez in Provence, in 1648. He removed to Paris early in life, where he was much admired for the brilliancy of his wit. The marechal de Luxembourg took notice of him, and gave him the title of his secretary; and the poet followed the hero in his campaigns. The marshal gave him his confidence during his life, and at his death recommended him to his heirs as an estimable man. The prince of Conti and the duke de Vendome vouchsafed him their familiarity, and found great pleasure in his lively and animated conversation. The witticisms which would have been common in the mouth of any other man, were rendered striking in him by the turn he gave them, and by the grimaces with which he accompanied them. A countenance remarkably ugly and full of wrinkles, which he managed at pleasure, stood him instead of a variety of masks. Whenever he read a tale or a comedy, he made a ludicrous use of this moveable physiognomy for distinguishing the personages of the piece he was reciting. The abbé Abeille enjoyed a priory, and a place in the French academy. We have of him some odes, some epistles, several tragedies, one comedy, and two operas. A certain prince observed of his tragedy of Cato, that, if Cato of Utica should return from the grave, he would be only the Cato of the abbé Abeille. He understood well enough what was necessary to the formation of a good poet: but he was not one himself. His style is feeble, low, and languid. In his versification he discovers none of that dignity he had in his character. He died at Paris, the 21st of May, 1718. A French critic, speaking of the two tragedies, Solyman and Hercules, written by Jean Juyenon de la Thuillerie, says, the reader will be able to judge of their merit, when he is informed that they were attributed to the Abbé Abeille'.

1 Dict. Hist, 1810,

ABEILLE (SCIPIO), brother of the preceding, was also born at Riez, and became a surgeon and medical writer of considerable eminence. His publications are: 1. "Histoire des Os," Paris, 1685, 12mo. 2. "Traité des plaies d'Arquebusades," Paris, 1696, 12mo. 3. "Le parfait Chirurgien d'armée," 1696, 12mo, reckoned his most useful work. He wrote also some poetry. He died Nov. 9, 1697, leaving a son who wrote two unsuccessful dramas1.

ABEILLE (LOUIS PAUL) was born at Toulouse, June 2, 1719; and died at Paris, July 28, 1807. He was formerly inspector general of the manufactures of France, and secretary to the council of trade. He wrote: 1. "Corps d'observations de la Societé d'Agriculture, de Commerce, et des Arts, etablie par les Etats de Bretagne," Rennes, 1761, 8vo. Principes sur la liberté du Commerce des Grains," Paris, 1768, 8vo. He also published "Observations sur l'Histoire Naturelle de Buffon," written by M. Malesherbes, with a preface and notes, Paris, 1796, 2 vols. 8vo2.

66

ABEL (GASPAR), a native of Halberstadt, and an eminent historian of the last century, born at Hindenburg in 1676, published in 1710 the history of Prussia and Brandenburg, "Preussische und Brandisburgische Staats-Historie," Leipsic, 8vo; in 1714, some favourite satires; and, in 1715, a work of far more utility and importance, "Historia Monarchiarum orbis antiqui," Leipsic, 8vo; a Greek Archæology, 1738; and a translation of Boileau. He died at Westdorf in 17633.

ABEL (FREDERICK GOTTFRIED), a physician, assessor of the College of Physicians, and member of the Literary Society at Halberstadt, the son of the preceding Gaspar, was born July 8, 1714. In 1731, he commenced his theological studies at Halberstadt, under the celebrated. Mosheim, and a year after removed to Halle, where he attended the lectures of Wolfe and Baumgarten, and often preached with much applause. In a few years, however, he gave up his theological pursuits, studied medicine, and in 1744 was admitted to the degree of doctor at Konigsberg. On his return to Halberstadt, he practised as a physician above half a century, and died Nov. 23, 1794. He is said to have been uncommonly successful in practice, yet had very little faith in medicine, and always prescribed such remedies as were cheap and common. Probity, modesty, and humanity, were the most striking features in Dict. Hist. 1810. Ibid. 3 Saxii Onomast.-Biographie Universelle, 1811.

his character. While studying medicine at Halle, he did not neglect polite literature. He made some poetical translations, particularly one of Juvenal into German, which he published in 1788.

ABEL (CHARLES FREDERICK), an eminent musician, was a native of Germany, and a disciple of Sebastian Bach. During nearly ten years he was in the band of the electoral king of Poland at Dresden; but the calamities of war having reduced that court to a close economy, he left Dresden in 1758, with only three dollars in his pocket, and proceeded to the next little German capital, where his talents procured a temporary supply. In 1759 he made his way to England, where he soon obtained notice and reward. He was first patronized by the duke of York: and on the formation of her present majesty's band, was appointed chamber-musician to her majesty, with a salary of £.200 per annum. In 1763, in conjunction with John Christian Bach, he established a weekly concert by subscription, which was well supported; and he had as many private pupils as he chose to teach. Abel performed on several instruments; but that to which he chiefly attached himself was the viol da gamba, an instrument growing out of fashion, and now very little used. His hand was that of a perfect master.

Dr. Burney gives the following character of his compositions and performance. "His compositions were easy and elegantly simple; for he used to say, 'I do not choose to be always struggling with difficulties, and playing with all my might. I make my pieces difficult whenever I please, according to my disposition, and that of my audience.' Yet in nothing was he so superior to himself, and to other musi cians, as in writing and playing an adagio; in which the most pleasing, yet learned modulation, the richest harmony, and the most elegant and polished melody, were all expressed with such feeling, taste, and science, that no musical production or performance with which I was then acquainted, seemed to approach nearer perfection. The knowledge Abel had acquired in Germany in every part of musical science, rendered him the umpire of all musical controversies, and caused him to be consulted in all difficult points. His concertos and other pieces were very popular, and were frequently played on public occasions. The taste and

Biographie Universelle, 1811.-Dict. Hist. 1810.