Cologn, 1541. 7. "Epistola de Zelandia," Leyden, 1650, 4to. 8. "Satire Octo," Louvain, 1515.1

GELEE (CLAUDE). See CLAUDE of LORRAINE. GELENIUS (SIGISMUND), a learned German, was born of a good family at Prague, about 1498. He began very early to travel through Germany, France, and Italy; and acquired a familiar knowledge of the languages of those countries. In Italy he confirmed himself in the Latin tongue, and learned the Greek under Marcus Musurus. In his return to Germany, he went through Basil, and became acquainted with Erasmus, who conceived an esteem for him, and recommended him to John Frobenius, as corrector of his printing-house, who employed him in superintending many Hebrew, Greek, and Latin works then in the press; and this employment he continued till his death, at Basil, about 1555. He had married in that city, and left behind him two sons and a daughter. Bayle describes him as tall, and very corpulent; of an excellent memory, and a ready wit. He was wonderfully mild and good-natured, so that he could scarce ever be put into a passion; but never retained ill-will against any man. He was not curious to pry into other people's affairs, nor at all mistrustful; but endowed with primitive, yet not weak simplicity.

Gelenius's fame does not rest entirely on his merit as a corrector of the press. He has also furnished Latin translations of Dionysius Halicarnassensis, Appian, Philo, Josephus, Origen, and others; all which shew him to have been a man of talents and learning. He published likewise an edition of Ammianus Marcellinus, in which he made a great number of judicious and ingenious emendations, and restored the strange transposition of pages, which is to be found in all the manuscript copies, and appears in Accursius's edition. Besides these he published a dictionary in four languages, Greek, Latin, German, and Sclavonian; after which, he wrote annotations on Livy and Pliny, and gave an edition of Arnobius, with whom he is thought to have taken too many liberties.

Bayle, who seems to delight in Gelenius's private character, resumes it by informing us that his disregard for riches and honours was extraordinary. The employments

1 Melchior Adam in vitis Theologorum.-General Dict.-Freheri Theatrum. -Foppen Bibl. Belg.-Saxii Onomast.

which were offered him in other places, could not tempt him to quit his peaceful situation at Basil. Lucrative professorships he could not be induced on to accept; and when he was invited to the king of Bohemia's court, he preferred his own quiet and humble life to the splendid dignities with which he would there have been incumbered. Though Erasmus judged him worthy of a better fortune, yet he durst not wish to see him rich, lest it should abate his ardour for the advancement of learning. According to Thuanus, he struggled all his life with poverty.'

GELLERT (CHRISTIAN FURCHTEGOTT, or Feargon), an eminent German poet and moral writer, was born at Haynichen, in Saxony, July 4, 1715. His father was a clergyman of a small income, who had thirteen children. Gellert was educated at home, where his poetical powers first appeared in a poem on the birth-day of his father, which was succeeded by many others, but all these in his maturer years he committed to the flames. He was afterwards sent to school at Meissen, where he learned Greek and Latin, and in 1734 he went to Leipsic, whence, after studying four years, his father's narrow income obliged. him to recall him. Gellert wished much to continue at the university, but he submitted to necessity, and at home had an opportunity of again turning his attention to those poetical pursuits for which he had early displayed a predilection; and perhaps it is to his recall from the university that we owe the beauty and simplicity of his fables. this time he occasionally composed sermons, which are in general distinguished both for spirit and sound reasoning, but they contain several indications of a taste not very correct, and a judgment not arrived at maturity. In 1741 he again returned to the university of Leipsic, with a nephew of his own, of whose education he had the charge. Here he met with some friends, from whose conversation and directions he confesses that he derived very considerable advantage. About this time he published several tales and fables in a periodical publication. In 1745 he acquired the right of giving public lessons in the univer sity, particularly on morals. He had early received an impression of the importance of Christian morality, and thought that he could not pass over the subject in silence, without neglecting one of the most essential duties of his

1 Gen. Dict.-Moreri,-Saxii Onomast.

At

situation. Soon after the commencement of his academical labours, he published his "Tales and Fables." Amongst these, the manner in which the character of a devotee was drawn, was much admired. This suggested to Gellert the idea of his comedy of the "Devotee," which was first published in the Bremen Magazine, but afterwards caused him much vexation. Many condemned it because it appeared to them to have a mischievous tendency, by exposing piety and seriousness to ridicule. But Gellert was not a man who could attempt to sap the foundations of real religion and morality, though he wished to expose hypocrisy and affectation to merited contempt. Among the many flattering instances of public approbation which the "Tales and Fables" produced, Gellert was particularly pleased with that of a Saxon peasant. One day, about the beginning of winter, he saw the man drive up to his door a cart loaded with fire-wood. Having observed Gellert, he asked him whether he was the gentleman who wrote such fine tales? Being answered in the affirmative, he begged pardon for the liberty which he took, and left the contents of his cart, being the most valuable present he could make. At this time the Germans had no original romances of any merit. In order to give some celebrity to this species of composition in his own country, he published the "Swedish Countess," a work of a melancholy cast, and containing many indications of that depression of spirits which embittered the latter days of Gellert. In 1747 he published a book entitled "Consolations for Valetudinarians," which was received with as much eagerness as his other works, and translated into various languages. It contains a melancholy representation of the sufferings which he himself endured. Nothing, however, could overcome his activity, and in 1748 the continuation of his "Tales and Fables" was published. About this time he was deprived of the society of several friends who had often dispersed the gloom that resulted from his disorder. The only intimate friend that remained was Ravener, who persuaded Gellert to give to the public some of his letters. In 1754 he published his "Didactic Poems," which were not so well received as his Tales and Fables, and he himself seems to have been sensible that they were not so agreeable, although useful and instructive. He bestowed particular care on some sacred songs, which were received with great enthusiasm all over Ger

many, both in the Roman catholic and protestant states. About this time he was appointed professor extraordinary in philosophy, and gave lectures on the Belles Lettres. From this period Gellert suffered extremely from an hypochondriac affection. His days were spent in melancholy reflections, and his nights in frightful dreams. But he made prodigious efforts to resist this malady, and to continue to perform his academical duties; and these efforts were often successful. The constant testimonies of the approbation with which his works were received, and the sympathy of his friends, were never-failing sources of consolation, and served to spread many cheerful moments over the general languor of his life. The calamities of war which desolated Germany after 1757, induced Gellert for some time to quit Leipsic. While in the country, he was attacked by a severe illness, from which, however, contrary to all expectation, he recovered. In 1761 the chair of a professor in ordinary was offered him, but he refused to accept it, from a persuasion that the state of his health was such as to render him incapable of discharging the duties of the situation with that regularity and attention which he thought necessary. In 1763-4, Gellert went to Carlsbad by the advice of his physicians to drink the waters, which, however, seem to have given him little relief. After a few years more of almost constant suffering, Gellert died at Leipsic, on the 13th of December, 1769. Some time before his death he revised and corrected his moral lessons, which he published at the request of the elector of Saxony. He was a man of the easiest and most conciliating manners; pleasing even to strangers; and of a disposition to form and preserve the most valuable friendships. He was open and enthusiastic in his attachments, ready at all times to give his counsel, labour, and money, to serve his friends. In himself, of a timid and hypochondriac habit, and disposed to criticise both his own character and works with a severity of which his friends could not acknowledge the justice. He had a constitutional fear of death, which, notwithstanding, receded as the hour of trial approached; so that he died with calmness and fortitude. In this he is thought to have resembled our Dr. Jobuson, but in other respects his character and habit seem to approach nearer to those of Cowper... His works were published in ten vols. 8vo, in 1766; and after his death a more complete edition at Leipsic, in eight volumes, with engravings. Kutner

has celebrated his various excellencies; he says, "a century will perhaps elapse, before we have another poet capable of exciting the love and admiration of his contemporaries, in so eminent a degree as Gellert, and of exercising so powerful an influence on the taste and way of thinking of all ranks." Though not deserving all this, he was an agreeable and fertile writer; the poet of religion and virtue; an able reformer of public morals. His "Moral Lessous" were translated into English, and published by Mrs. Douglas of Ednam house, 1805, 3 vols. 8vo, with an excellent life of the author, to which this article is chiefly indebted.'

GELLI (JOHN BAPTIST), an eminent Italian writer, and a man of extraordinary qualities, was born of mean parents at Florence in 1498, and was brought up a taylor. Such, however, was his industry and capacity, that he acquired a knowledge of languages, and made uncommon progress in the belles lettres. Thuanus, says, that he did not understand Latin, but this must be a mistake, as he translated, from Latin into Italian, "The Life of Alphonsus duke of Ferrara," by Paul Jovius, and a treatise of Simon Porzio, "De Coloribus Oculorum," at the request of those writers. His knowledge of Greek, however, was probably limited, as he translated the "Hecuba" of Euripides into Italian, from the Latin version. His principal excellence was in his native tongue, and he acquired the highest reputation by the works he published in it. He was acquainted with all the wits and learned men of Florence; and his merit was universally known. He was chosen a member of the academy there; and the city made him one of their burgesses. Yet he continued the exercise of his trade as a taylor, to the end of his life; and he tells us, in a letter to F. Melchior, March 3, 1553, that he devoted workingdays to the care of his body, and Sundays and festivals to the culture of his understanding. The same letter shews his modesty, as he reproaches his friend for giving him honourable titles, which did not agree with the lowness of his condition. He died in 1563.

In 1546, he published at Florence, "Dialoghi," in 4to, to which, in the fifth edition, which was printed in 1551, 3vo, and is the best, there are three more added, making in all ten, but he afterwards changed the title from "Dia

1 Life as above.-Life by Ernesti in vol. II. of his "Opuscula Oratoria."