description of the works printed in the fifteenth century was published by Fossi, under the title "Catalogus codicum sæculo XV impressorum in Bibliotheca Magliabechiana, Florentiæ adservantur," Florence, 3 vols. fol. 1793 -1795.

Of the domestic habits of Magliabechi, we have many accounts that represent him as an incorrigible sloven. His attention was so entirely absorbed by his books and studies, that he totally neglected all the decencies of form and ceremony, and often forgot the most urgent wants of human nature. His employment under the grand duke did not at all change his manner of life: the philosopher still continued negligent in his dress, and simple in his manners. An old cloak served him for a gown in the day, and for bed-clothes at night. He had one straw chair for his table, and another for his bed; in which he generally continued fixed among his books till he was overpowered by sleep. The duke provided a commodious apartment for him in his palace; of which Magliabechi was with much difficulty persuaded to take possession; and which he quitted in four months, returning to his house on various pretences, against all the remonstrances of his friends. He was, however, characterized by an extraordinary modesty, and by a sincere and beneficent disposition, which his friends often experienced in their wants. He was a great patron of men of learning, and had the highest pleasure in assisting them with his advice and information, in furnishing them with all necessary books and manuscripts. Cardinal Noris used to call him his Mecenas; and, writing to him one day, he told him he thought himself more obliged to him for direction in his studies, than to the pope for raising him to the purple. He had the utmost aversion to any thing that looked like constraint. The grand duke knew his disposition, and therefore always dispensed with his personal attendance upon him; and, when he had any orders to give him, sent him them in writing. The pope and the emperor would gladly have drawn him into their service, but he constantly refused their most honourable and advantageous offers. The regimen he observed contributed not a little to preserve his health to old age. He always kept his head warmly covered, and took. at certain times treacle, which he esteemed an excellent

preservative against noxious vapours. He loved strong wine, but drank it in small quantities. He lived upon the

plainest and most ordinary food. Three hard eggs and a draught of water was his usual repast. He took tobacco, to which he was a slave, to excess; but was absolute master of himself in every other article.

He died in the midst of the public applause, after enjoying, during all the latter part of his life, such an affluence as very few persons have ever procured by their knowledge or learning, and which, as he had acquired honourably, he bestowed liberally.

Though he never composed any work himself, yet the commonwealth of learning are greatly obliged to him for several, the publication of which was owing to him; such as the Latin poems of Henry de Settimello, the "Hodaporicon" of Ambrose Camaldula, the "Dialogue" of Benedict Aretin, and many others. A collection of letters addressed to him by literary men was printed at Florence in 1745, but is said to be incomplete. '

MAGNI, or MAGNUS (VALERIAN), a celebrated Capuchin, born at Milan in 1586, descended from the earls of Magni, acquired great reputation in the seventeenth century by his controversial writings against the protestants, and philosophical ones in favour of Descartes against Aristotle. He passed through the highest offices in his order, and was apostolical missionary to the northern kingdoms. It was by his advice that pope Urban VIII. abolished the Jesuitesses in 1631. Uladislaus king of Poland, solicited a cardinal's hat for Magni; but the Jesuits are said to have opposed it. They certainly informed against him as a heretic, because he had said that the pope's primacy and infallibility were not founded on scripture, and he was imprisoned at Vienna; but regained his liberty by favour of the emperor Ferdinand III. after having written very warmly against the Jesuits in his defence. He retired at last to Saltzburg, and died there, 1661, aged seventyfive. Mention is made of Magni in the sixteenth Provincial Letter; and one of his Apologetical Letters may be found in the collection entitled "Tuba magna," tom. II. '

2

MAGNOL (PETER), a celebrated botanist of Montpellier, was born in 1638. He was bred to physic, but, being a protestant, could not take his degree there. He appears, however, afterwards to have obtained it elsewhere,

1 Tiraboschi.-Fabroni Vitæ Italorum, vol. XVII.-Niceron, vol. IV.Spence's Parallel.

Gen. Dict.-Moreri.-L'Avocat Dict. Hist.
VOL. XXI.
I

and practised physic at Montpellier for a long course of years, and at the same time very assiduously cultivated botany, with the most enlarged views to its advancement as a science. He was beloved for his urbanity, and esteemed for his knowledge. Numerous botanists flocked at this time to Montpellier, that neighbourhood being famous for its vegetable riches; and these were all eager to enjoy the society, and to benefit by the guidance and instructions of so able a man. Among the pupils of Magnol were Fagon and the illustrious Tournefort, who regularly studied under him, and on many subsequent occasions gratefully acknowledged their obligations to him. He was not chosen public professor till 1694, when he assumed the guise at least of Catholicism.

In 1676 our author published at Lyons his first work, the "Botanicum Monspeliense," republished at Montpellier in 1688, with a new title-page and appendix. In this book all the plants enumerated are found wild about Montpellier, and almost entirely gathered there by the author himself. It is, in fact, one of the most original and authentic works of its kind, being to the Montpellier botanists what Ray's Synopsis is to those of Britain, the basis of all their knowledge. In 1689 Magnol published an octavo volume entitled "Prodromus Historia Generalis Plantarum," in which he undertook a scheme of natural arrangement, according to the method of Ray, deduced from all the parts of a plant; and the vegetable kingdom is disposed into 76 families, subdivided into genera. In 1697 appeared the "Hortus Regius Monspeliensis," 8vo, an alphabetical catalogue of the garden, in which several new or rare species are described as well as figured. In their generic distribution the author conforms to Tournefort principally, and his preface shews how much he had contemplated this subject and its difficulties. When we consider that Magnol had had the care of the garden only three years previous to the publication of this rich catalogue, and that he found the collection in a very poor state, the book is an honourable monument of his industry as well as knowledge.

In 1708 Magno was admitted a member of the academie des sciences of Paris, in the place of his distinguished friend Tournefort, and contributed some papers to their memoirs. He died in 1715, at the age of seventy-seven. He left a son, named Anthony, who was professor of phy

sic at Montpellier, but not of Botany. To this son we are indebted for the publication of the "Novus Character Plantarum," on which the fame of Magnol as a systematic botanist chiefly rests. This posthumous work appeared in 1720, making a quarto volume of 341 pages. The system therein taught is much celebrated by Linnæus, who in his Classes Plantarum, 375-403, gives a general view of it, expressing his wonder that so new and singular a system had not made more proselytes. That noble genus of trees or shrubs, called the Magnolia, received that name from Plumier, in honour of our author. '

MAGNON (JOHN), a French poet of the seventeenth century, was bred up as an advocate, and for some time followed that profession at Lyons. He then became a dramatic writer, and produced several pieces, of which the least bad is a tragedy called Artaxerxes; this has some plot, good sentiments, and characters tolerably supported. He then conceived the extraordinary project of writing an encyclopædia in verse, which was to consist of ten volumes. each containing twenty thousand verses. Being asked, after some time, when this work would be finished? "Very soon," said he, "I have now only a hundred thousand verses to write." His project, however, was cut off, notwithstanding this near approach to its conclusion, as he was murdered by thieves at Paris, in 1662. His verses were bad enough to account for his facility in producing them, yet he was a friend of Moliere. A part of his great work appeared in folio in 1663, with the magnificent title of "Science Universelle." The preface was still more pompous: "Libraries," says he, "will hereafter be for ornament only, not use." Yet how few contain this wonderful work!?

MAGNUS (JOHN), archbishop of Upsal, in Sweden, was born at Lincoping in 1488; was a violent opposer of the protestant religion, and laboured much, though in vain, to prevent the king, Gustavus, 'from introducing it into his kingdom. Magnus, being persecuted on this account, retired to Rome, where he was received with great marks of regard, and died there in 1544. He was author of, 1. "A History of Sweden," in twenty-four books, published in 1554, in folio. 2." A History of the Archbishops of

1 From an interesting article in Rees's Cyclopædia, by sir J. E. Smith. Moreri. Dict. Hist.-A copy of his "Science Universelle" is in the British Museum.

Upsal," which he carried down as low as 1544. This was also in folio, and appeared in 1557 and 1560.1

MAGNUS (OLAUS), brother of the former, and his successor in the archbishopric of Upsal, distinguished himself at the council of Trent, and suffered in Sweden, as his brother also had done, many vexations from his attachment to the Roman catholic persuasion. His work, by which he is very generally known, is "A History of the manners, customs, and wars of the People of the North." This contains many curious particulars, but many also that are minute, and several that are doubtful; nor does the author ever fail to display his animosity against the protestants. He died at Rome in 1555.1

MAHOMET, or MOHAMMED, founder of the system of religious imposture called Mahometanism, was born in the year 569, at Mecca, a city of Arabia, of the tribe of the Korashites, which was reckoned the noblest in all that country; and was descended in a direct line from Pher Koraish, the founder of it. Yet in the beginning of his life he was in a very poor condition; for his father dying before he was two years old, and while his grandfather was still living, all the power and wealth of his family devolved to his uncles, especially Abu Taleb. Abu Taleb, after the death of his father, bore the chief sway in Mecca during the whole of a very long life; and it was under his protection chiefly, that Mahomet, when he first began to propagate his imposture, was sufficiently supported against all opposers, so as to be able, after his death, to establish it through all Arabia by his own power.

After his father's death he continued under the tuition of his mother till the eighth year of his age; when she also dying, he was taken home to his grandfather, who at his death, which happened the year after, committed him to the care of his uncle Abu Taleb, to be educated by him. Abu Taleb, being a merchant, taught him his business, and, as soon as he was of sufficient age, sent him with his camels into Syria; in which employment he continued under his uncle till the 25th year of his age. One of the chief men of the city then dying, and his widow, whose name was Cadiga, wanting a factor to manage her stock, she invited Mahomet into her service. He accepted her

1 Chaufepie.-Niceron, vol. XXXV.

2 Niceron, vol. XXXV.—Bibl. du Verdier, vol. III. p. 155.