SKETCH

OF THE

LIFE AND WRITINGS

OF

GABRIEL NAUDÉ.

GABRIEL NAUDÉ was born at Paris in the year 1600. He made an early progress in the sciences, and in criticism and grammar. His inclination to the study of physic carried him to Padua, where he resided some time. Soon after Cardinal Bagni persuaded him to come to Rome and be his librarian. This offer pleased him, by affording him the means and leisure for study. Louis XIII. appointed him physi

cian to his household. Naudé's works, though not large and many, are critical, political, and physical. His most popular works are, "A Liberal Plan of Study;" and "A Defence of Great Men against Accusations of practising Magic." His mode of life was abstemious; his talents and conversation lively; and his thirst of knowledge and industry prodigious. He died on his return from Sweden, where he had been invited and munificently received by Christina. Bayle has embellished his Dictionary with many extracts from this author's works, which convey a very favourable idea of his genius and vivacity. His death happened at Abbeville, in consequence of a fever, in July, 1653.

NAUDEANA.

of

GALILEO GALILEI died at Florence, January 7, 1642, new style, at the age 80. He was a great mathematician, and supported the doctrine of Copernicus, that the sun stood still and the earth moved. The inquisition at Rome made him recant this opinion; though the most learned men still retain it.

FRACASTORIUS

Was born without a mouth. There was only a small cleft, which was enlarged by a chirurgical operation. One day, whilst his mother was carrying him in her arms, and walking in the garden, she was scorched by lightning, and the child received no

known, and of high repute. In his latter days he wrote a poem on the Adventures of the Patriarch Joseph: but his poetic fire seems then to have left him; and the saint was celebrated with less eclat than the disorder.

JOSEPHUS.

His books on the affairs of the Hebrews, and the Jewish wars, labour under much interpolation. The Jews of the present time have this author in a different edition from ours, in which much conjecture is hazarded. Joseph Scaliger had an intention of giving an edition of this writer had he lived long enough.

ITALY

Is full of atheists and infidels: nevertheless, the number of writers on the soul's immortality is infinite. But I think they believe as little about that as about other subjects; for I consider it as a sure axiom, that the scepticism which they entertain on this is the reason of their writing. Moreover, the feebleness of their arguments is

such, that they rather add to the doubts than to the conviction of their readers.

JEWS.

There are many of them in Italy. They are tolerated because in the cities they carry on the necessary branches of trade. The laws forbid their acquiring any real estate. Some of them turn Christians; and that circumstance occurs frequently; but if a Christian turns Jew he is burnt. When a Jew is converted, his godfather, who in general is a cardinal, carries him five days about the streets in his carriage, and clothes him with black satin. After every body has seen him thus arrayed, he resumes the ordinary habit of his new profession.

This law of nature is the guide of every man of probity: "quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris," do not act towards others in a manner you would blame in them. There are many authors to direct the practice of this excellent rule: viz. Seneca's