and indefatigable industry, afforded every hope that length of years would have added to his discoveries, and extended the boundaries of science. His discovery of the polarisation of light by oblique reflection is perhaps the most important that optics has received since the discovery of the achromatic telescope.'

MALVENDA (THOMAS), a learned Dominican, born in 1566, at Xativa, taught philosophy and divinity with great reputation in his order. Baronius, hearing of his abilities, persuaded his general to send for him to Rome, that he might have the benefit of his advice. Malvenda accordingly gave Baronius great assistance, and was employed, at the same time, to correct all the ecclesiastical books of his order, which he did with much accuracy. He died May 7, 1628, at Valencia in Spain, aged sixty-three. His most esteemed works are, a treatise "De Anti-Christo," the best edition of which is that of Valencia, 1621, folio; "A new Version of the Hebrew Text of the Bible, with Notes," Lyons, 1650, 5 vols. folio; "Annales Ordinis Prædicatorum," Naples, 1627, folio.*

MALVEZZI (VIRGIL), commonly called the marquis Malvezzi, an Italian writer of eminence, was born of a noble family at Bologna, in 1599. After having finished his classical and philosophical studies, he applied to the law, and became a doctor in that faculty in 1616, although not quite seventeen years of age. After this he cultivated other sciences, and spent some time and pains upon physic, mathematics, and divinity. He even did not neglect astrology; in favour of which he always entertained high prejudices, although he affected outwardly to despise it. Music and painting were also among the arts in which he exercised himself for his amusement. He afterwards became a soldier, and served under the duke Feria, governor of the Milanese. Philip the Fourth of Spain employed him in several affairs, and admitted him into his council of war. Letters, however, occupied a good part of his time, and he was member of the academy of the Gelati at Bologna. He was the author of several works in Spanish and Italian among the latter were, "Discourses upon the first book of Tacitus's Annals," which he composed at the age of twenty-three, and dedicated to Ferdinand II.

1 Notice historique par M. le Chevalier Delambre, read at the Inst ut of France, Jan. 3, 1814; and obligingly communicated by Dr. Kelly or Finsburysquare. 2 Dupin. Moreri.

great duke of Tuscany. There is a great shew of learning in it; too much, indeed, for there are many quotations from the fathers and scripture, which have but little to do with Tacitus and modern politics. There are also in it certain logical distinctions, and subtile reasonings, which savour of pedantry, and had better become a professor of philosophy, than a writer upon government and stateaffairs. He died at Bologna, Aug. 11, 1654. His discourses upon Tacitus were translated and published in English, by sir R. Baker, Lond. 1642, folio. His "Davide perseguitato" was translated by Robert Ashley, 1647, in 12mo; his "Romulus and Tarquin," by lord H. Cary, 1638, 12mo; and his "Successi della monarchia di Spagna” by Robert Gentilis, 1647, 12me.'

MAMBRUN (PETER), an ingenious and learned French Jesuit, who has written Latin poetry, was born in the diocese of Clermont, in 1581. He was one of the most ambitious imitators of Virgil; and wrote in the same measure, the same number of books, and in the three different kinds to which that illustrious poet applied himself. Thus we have of Mambrun, "Eclogues," "Georgics, or four books upon the culture of the soul and the understanding;" and an heroic poem in twelve books, entitled "Constantine, or idolatry overthrown. We cannot, however, say that he has imitated the genius and judgment of Virgil as well as he has his exterior form and economy. He is, indeed, allowed to have had great talents for poetry, and was a good critic, as he has sufficiently shewn in a Latin Peripatetic dissertation upon an epic poem; so that it is not without some foundation that Menage has called him "a great poet, as well as a great critic." His "Peripatetic dissertation" was published at Paris, 1652, 4to; his "Constantine," at Amsterdam, 1659, in 12mo; his "Eclogues and Georgics," at Fleche, 1661, in 12mo; in which year also he died, aged eighty."

MAN (JAMES), a schoolmaster of considerable learning, but chiefly known as the antagonist of the celebrated Ruddiman, was born about the beginning of the last century, at Whitewreath, in the parish of Elgin, and county of Murray, and was educated, first at the parish school of Longbride, and afterwards at King's college, Aberdeen, where he took his degree of master of arts in 1721. He

! Moreri.-Dict. Hist.

2 Ibid.

was afterwards appointed schoolmaster of the parish school of Touch, in the county of Aberdeen; and at length, in 1742, master of the poor's hospital, in the city of Aberdeen. While in this station, his zeal for the character of the very celebrated Scotch historian and poet, Buchanan, led him to join the party of Scotch scholars, politicians, and writers, who were dissatisfied with Ruddiman's edition of Buchanan's works, published in 1715, 2 vols. folio, and he determined himself to give a new edition more agreeable to the views he entertained of Buchanan as a historian, which, he being a staunch presbyterian, were of course adverse to Ruddiman's well known sentiments. In the mean time he thought it necessary to show the errors and defects of Ruddiman's edition, and accordingly published a work, the title of which will give the reader some idea of its contents: "A censure and examination of Mr. Thomas Ruddiman's philological notes on the works of the great Buchanan, more particularly on the history of Scotland; in which also, most of the chronological and geographical, and many of the historical and political notes, are taken into consideration. In a letter to a friend. Necessary for restoring the true readings, the graces and beauties, and for understanding the true meaning of a vast number of passages of Buchanan's writings, which have been so foully corrupted, so miserably defaced, so grossly perverted and misunderstood: Containing many curious particulars of his life, and a vindication of his character from many gross calumnies," Aberdeen, 1751. This work, which extends to 574 pages small octavo, forms a very elaborate examination of Ruddiman's edition, not only as referring to classical points, but matters of history, and is distinguished throughout by an unjustifiable contempt for Ruddiman's knowledge and talents. Blameable as this was, and as his style generally is, he evidently proves that he was no mean verbal critic, and that his researches into the history of Buchanan and his works had been very extensive. With a better temper he might have proved an antagonist more worthy of Ruddiman's serious attention. The latter, however, replied in 1754, in a pamphlet entitled "Anticrisis, or a Discussion of the scurrilous and malicious libel published by one James Man of Aberdeen,' 8vo, which was followed by "Audi alteram partem; or a further vindication of Mr. Thomas Ruddiman's edition of the great Buchanan's works," 1756, Svo. Both these contain

an able vindication of the author; but the latter is particularly valuable, on account of the critical remarks Ruddiman offers on Burman's philological notes on Buchanan.

Mr. Man died in 1761. In private life his character was highly respected, and his manners were amiable. He was a very useful superintendent of the poor's hospital, to which he left more than half the little property he had accumulated. He had made collections for an edition of Arthur Johnston's poems, which were in the hands of the late professor Thomas Gordon of Aberdeen, and had been encouraged by many clergymen to undertake the history of the church of Scotland, for which task he was well qualified by his learning and diligence. The only undertaking, however, which he lived to accomplish, although not to publish, was his edition of Buchanan's History, published in 1762, 8vo. Whatever may be the defects in this edition, we do not mention it as any honour to Buchanan's countrymen, that it is the last which has appeared.1

MANARA (PROSPER), a statesman and elegant writer, was born at Borgo Taro, a small town of the dukedom of Parma, on the 14th April, 1714. He was the eldest son of Marcel marquis of Ozzano, of an ancient family amongst the Parmesan nobility, and of a lady named Pellegrini, of birth equally illustrious. As soon as he arrived at an age competent for a learned education, he was placed in the college of Parma, where he went through all his studies with assiduity and success; and in the earliest period of his youth displayed that peculiar fondness for the belles lettres and fine arts, which afterwards constituted his predominant and almost exclusive passion. On quitting college, he repaired to his native place, where his father, with a view of giving him some knowledge of domestic economy, associated him in the management of his large estate, and thus gave him for some time rather more occupation than was compatible with his literary pursuits. After his father's death he married a lady of noble birth, of the name of Antini; and soon added to his other occupations that of superintending the education of his children. In this way he spent many years, on his manor of Borgo Taro, and occasionally gave specimens of his talents in painting and poetry. His performances in the former art were not numerous or highly distinguished, and were only intended

1 Chalmers's Life of Ruddiman, p. 248, &c.

as presents to his friends; but in poetry he reached the highest degree of merit, and seemed to have well availed himself of those favourable circumstances which the spirit of the age had introduced. The abbé Frugoni was then one of the most conspicuous leaders of the new poetical band; and having fixed his residence at Parma, he naturally became, in that small metropolis, the head of a school, in which, by exploding the frequent antitheses, the inflation of style, the wantonness of conceits, and the gigantic strains of imagination, he introduced an easy, regular, descriptive, sentimental, and elegant poesy, and what was more remarkable, gave to blank verse a strength and harmony till then unknown. Mr. Manara, although a professed admirer of Frugoni and his disciples, did not choose to be of their number as far as regarded their enthusiasm, imagery, rapidity of thoughts, and luxury of versification. He was conscious that his own poetical fire was like his temper, endowed with gentleness and sensibility; and with this spirit wrote those elegant eclogues, which soon proved rivals to the pastoral songs of the celebrated Pompei; and in the opinion of the best judges, united the flowing style of Virgil with the graces of Anacreon. His sonnets, too, though not numerous, might be put in competition with those of Petrarch.

During his retreat also, he wrote his very excellent translation of the Bucolics of Virgil, which was thought to display taste, elocution, harmony, and such an happy substitution of the Italian for the Latin graces, as to give it the double appearance of a faithful translation and an original composition. It rapidly went through several editions, and raised the name of the author to the first rank among his contemporaries in the art of poetry.

In 1749, and the thirty-fifth year of his age, Manara was called to town by his sovereign, and the place to which he was appointed, the first he had filled at court, was admirably adapted to his temper. No sooner had the highspirited Infant Don Philip become the pacific possessor of that principality, than he thought of reviving the languid progress of scientific and literary pursuits; and instituted that famous academy of arts, which, except those of Rome and Bologna, was soon accounted the best in Italy. He himself was appointed academician and counsellor, invested with a vote; and he greatly distinguished himself, as might be expected, in the sessions of the society, and in the