raneously. Yet the man who could declare all this, is hardly known by name in the greater part of Europe; and of the enormous list of his printed works, not more than five are thought worthy of mention by the writers of his life. To write much, is far easier than to write well. The works specified by his biographers are, 1. "Clavis Augustiniana liberi arbitrii," a book written against father, afterwards cardinal Noris. The disputants were both silenced by authority; but Macedo, not to seem vanquished, sent his antagonist a regular challenge to a verbal controversy, which by some biographers has been mistaken for a challenge to fight. The challenge may be found in the "Journal Etranger" for June 1757. 2. "Schema Sanctæ Congregationis," 1676, 4to: a dissertation on the in-. quisition, full of learning and absurdity. 3. " Encyclopædia in agonem literatorum," 1677, folio. 4. "Praise of the French," in Latin, 1641, 4to; a book on the Jansenian controversy. 5. "Myrothecium Morale," 4to. This is the book in which he gives the preceding account of what he had written and spoken, &c. He possessed a prodigious memory, and a ready command of language; but his judgment and taste were by no means equal to his learning and fecundity.'

MAČEDONIUS, was an ancient heretic of the church of Constantinople, whom the Arians made bishop of that see in the year 342, at the same time that the orthodox contended for Paul. This occasioned a contest, which rose at length to such a height, that arms were taken up, and many lives lost. The emperor Constantius, however, put an end to the dispute, by banishing Paul, and ratifying the nomination of Macedonius; who, after much opposition, which ended at the death of Paul, became peaceably and quietly settled in his see, and might have remained so had he been of a temper to be long peaceable and quiet in any situation he soon fell into disgrace with Constantius, for acting the part of a tyrant, rather than a bishop. What made him still more disliked by the emperor, was his causing the body of Constantine to be translated from the temple of the Apostles to that of Acacius the martyr. This also raised great tumults and confusion among the people, some highly approving, others loudly condemning, the procedure of Macedonius; and the parties again taking

Gen. Dict.-Niceron, vol. XXXI.—Moreri.—Antonio Bibl. Hisp.

1

up arms, a great number on both sides were slain. Macedonius, however, notwithstanding the emperor's displeasure, which he had incurred by his seditious and turbulent practices, contrived to support himself by his party, which he had lately increased by taking in the Semi-Arians; till at length, imprudently offending two of his bishops, they procured his deposition by the council of Constantinople, in the year 359. He was so enraged at this, as to resolve to revenge the insult by broaching a new heresy. He began to teach, therefore, that the Holy Spirit had no resemblance to either the Father or the Son, but was only a mere creature, one of God's ministers, and somewhat more excellent than the angels. The disaffected bishops subscribed at once to this opinion; and to the Arians it could not be unacceptable. According to St. Jerome, even the Donatists of Africa joined with them: for he says, that Donatus of Carthage wrote a treatise upon the Holy Ghost, agreeable to the doctrine of the Arians; and the outward shew of piety, which the Macedonians observed, drew over to their party many others. One Maratorus, who had been formerly a treasurer, having amassed vast riches, forsook his secular life, devoted himself entirely to the service of the poor and sick, became a monk; and at last adopted the Macedonian heresy, which he disseminated very extensively. In this he succeeded in most cases by his riches which, being freely and properly distributed, were found of more force in effecting conversions than all his arguments and from this man, as Socrates relates, the Macedonians were called Maratorians. They were also called Pneumatomachi, or persons who were enemies of the Holy Ghost. The report of the Macedonian heresy being spread over Egypt, the bishop Serapion advertised Athanasius of it, who then was leading a monastic life, and lay hid in the desert; and this celebrated saint was the first who confuted it."

;

MACER (ÆMILIUS), an ancient Latin poet, was born at Verona, and flourished about the year 24 B. C. Euse bius relates, that he died a few years after Virgil. Ovid speaks of a poem by him, on the nature and quality of birds, serpents, and herbs; which, he says, Macer, being then very old, had often read to him, and he is said also to have written a supplement to Homer; but the work by

1 Mosheim.Socrat. Hist. Eccles. lib. ii.-Moreri.

which his name is chiefly known, first printed at Naples in 1477, 4to, and often since under the title "De virtutibus Herbarum," is unquestionably spurious, and the production of a much later writer. By some it is ascribed to Odo or Odobonus, a French physician of the ninth century. This barbarous poem is in Leonine verse, and various manuscripts of it are in our public libraries of Oxford, Cambridge, the British Museum, &c. It was, according to Dr. Pulteney, in common use in England before the æra of printing, and was translated into English by John Lelamar, master of Hereford-school, who lived about 1473. Even Linacre did not disdain to employ himself on this work, as in "Macer's Herbal practysed by Dr. Linacro, translated out of Latin into English." Lond. 1542, 12mo. This jejune performance, adds Dr. Pulteney, which is written wholly on Galenical principles, treats on the virtues of not more than eighty-eight simples. '

MACFARLANE (ROBERT), a political and miscellaneous writer, was born in Scotland in 1734, and educated in the university of Edinburgh. He came to London at an early period of life, and for many years kept an academy of considerable reputation at Walthamstow. He was also much engaged in the political disputes at the beginning of the reign of his present majesty, and concentrated his sentiments on them, in a "History of the Reign of George III." an octavo volume, which was published in 1770. A dispute occurring between him and his bookseller, the late Mr. Thomas Evans of Paternoster-row, the latter employed another person to continue the history, of which vol. II appeared in 1782, and vol. III. about 1794. Mr. Macfarlane being then reconciled to his employer, published a fourth volume. The whole is compiled from the journals of the day, and cannot, either in point of style or matter, entitle Mr. Macfarlane, or the other writers, to the character of historians. In early life, also, he was editor of the Morning Chronicle and London Packet, in which he gave the debates with great accuracy and at considerable length, and wrote many letters and papers under fictitious names, in favour of the politics of the opposition. Being an enthusiastic admirer of Ossian, and an assistant, as has been said, to Mr. Macpherson in the arranging and publishing of these poems, he conceived the Vossius Hist. Lat. Fabric. Bibl. Lat.-Haller Bibl. Bot, Pulteney's Sketches.

very preposterous design of translating them into Latin verse. Accordingly, in 1769, he published "Temora,” as a specimen, and issued, at the same time, proposals for publishing the whole by subscription, in one volume, 4to: but few subscribers appearing, he desisted from his plan. During the latter years of his life, he resumed it, and was employed in it at the time of his death. Curiosity led him one evening to witness the triumphs of an electionmob coming from Brentford, when he fell under a carriage, and was so much hurt as to survive only half an hour. This happened on August 8, 1804. He had at this time. in the press, an "Essay on the authenticity of Ossian and

his Poems."

In 1797, Mr. Macfarlane published "An Address to the people of the British Empire, on the present posture and future prospect of public affairs," by which it appears that he had got rid of most of his former political prejudices. He likewise formally disclaims the second and third volumes of the "History of George III." and says, that even the first has been so disfigured in a third edition, that he will no longer claim it as his own. In 1801, he published "George Buchanan's Dialogue, concerning the rights of the crown of Scotland. Translated into English: with two dissertations prefixed: one archæological, inquiring into the pretended identity of the Getes and Scythians, of the Getes and Goths, and of the Goths and Scots: and the other historical, vindicating the character of Buchanan as a historian: and containing some specimens of his poetry in English verse," 8vo. In this work there is much curious discussion. 1

MACHAULT (JOHN DE), a Jesuit, was born at Paris in 1651, and was professor of rhetoric in his society, doctor of divinity, and rector of the Jesuits college at Rouen, then of the college de Clermont at Paris. He died March 15, 1619, aged 58. He published under the name of Gallus, or Le Cocq, which was his mother's name," Jo. Galli jurisconsulti notationes in Historiam Thuani,” Ingoldstadt, 1614, 4to, a scarce volume, because suppressed in that year, as pernicious, seditious, and full of falsehoods and calumnies against the magistrates and officers of the king. Machault also translated from the Italian, a "History of transactions in China and Japan, taken from letters

1 Gent. Mag. vol. LXXIV. kc.

written 1621 and 1622," Paris, 1627, 8vo.-JOHN BAPTIST DE MACHAULT, another Parisian Jesuit, who died May 22, 1640, aged 29, after having been rector of the colleges at Never and Rouen, left " Gesta à Soc. Jes. in Regno Sinensi, Æthiopico, et Tibetano;" and some other works of the historical kind, but of little reputation.-JAMES DE MACHAULT, a Jesuit also, born 1600, at Paris, taught ethics and philosophy, and was afterwards rector at Alençon, Orleans, and Caen. He died 1680, at Paris. His works are, "De Missionibus Paraguariæ et aliis in America meridionali ;" "De rebus Japonicis ;"" De Provinciis Goana, Malabarica, et aliis;""De Regno Cochineinensi ;" "De Missione Religiosorum Societatis J. in Perside;" "De Regno Madurensi, Tangorensi," &c.'

MACHIAVEL (NICHOLAS), a celebrated political writer and historian, was born of a good family, at Florence, in 1469. He first distinguished himself as a dramatic writer, but his comedies are not formed on the purest morals, nor are the verses by which he gained some reputation about the same time, entitled to much praise. Soon after he had entered public life, either from the love of liberty, or a spirit of faction, he displayed a restless and turbulent disposition, which not only diminished the respect due to his abilities, but frequently endangered his personal safety. He involved himself in the conspiracy of Capponi and Boscoli, in consequence of which he was put to the torture, but endured it without uttering any confession, and was set at liberty by Leo X. against whose house that conspiracy had been formed. Immediately after the death of Leo, he entered into another plot to expel the cardinal de Medici from Florence. Afterwards, however, he was raised to high honours in the state, and became secretary to the republic of Florence, the duties of which office he performed with great fidelity. He was likewise employed in embassies to king Lewis XII. of France; to the emperor Maximilian; to the college. of cardinals; to the pope, Julius II., and to other Italian princes. Notwithstanding the revenues which must have accrued to him in these important situations, it would appear that the love of money had no influence on his mind, as he died in extreme poverty in June 1527. Besides his plays, his chief works are, 1, "The Golden Ass," in imitation of Lucian and

1 Moreri.-Dict. Hist.-Le Long Bibl. Historique.