moderate length, and a great many more much shorter. As in style, method, and manner they totally deviate from the rules laid down in the Institutions, no good judges attribute them to our Quintilian; but they may perhaps have been the work of his father or grandfather. They are in general flat effusions of trivial rhetoric. Of the editions of Quintilian, some of the most valuable are the Variorum, Lugd. Bat. 2 vols. 8vo., 1665; Gibson's Oxon. 4to., 1693; Rollin's, Par. 2 vols. 12mo., 1715; Burmann's, Lugd. Bat. 4 vols. 4to., 1720; Capperonier's, Par. fol., 1725; Gesner's Gotting. 4to., 1738. Bayle. Moreri. Tiraboschi. Bibliogr. Dict.-A. QUINTINIE, JOHN DE LA, famous for his skill in horticulture, was born near Poitiers in 1626. He received a learned education, and was brought up to the profession of the law, in which he practised for some time with reputation as a pleader. A passion for agricultural knowledge led him to study with great attention all the authors antient and modern upon that topic; and on a visit to Italy in the capacity of preceptor to the son of a president of the chamber of accompts, he made great additions to his knowledge from actual observation. On his return he devoted himself almost entirely to experiments on the culture of trees and plants, and made many discoveries which greatly improved the art of gardening. In particular, he was one of the first who laid down just principles of the art of pruning fruit-trees. He also first remarked that a transplanted tree grew only by the new roots. that it threw out, and that the old fibres were useless and ought to be cut off. At what time he began to follow gardening as a profession does not appear; but he must have already acquired fame in it when he was in vited to England by Charles II., who offered him a considerable pension to engage him in his service. He twice visited this country, and made several connexions in it; and a paper of his on the culture of Melons was inserted in the Philosophical Transactions. The Prince of Condé took much pleasure in conversing with him on subjects of his art; and Lewis XIV. created in his favour the post of director-general of the fruit and kitchen gardens in all the royal palaces. In 1690 he published "Instructions pour les Jardins Fruitiers et Potagers," 4to., which became a very popular work, was frequently reprinted, and was translated into several modern languages. The last French edition was in 2 vols. 4to., 1756, with the title of " Parfait Jardinier." La Quintinie died at Paris about 1700. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Halleri Bibl. Botan.-A. QUIRINI, ANGIOLO-MARIA, a learned Cardinal, born in 1680, was by descent a noble Venetian. He received his early education in the college of Sant'Antonio at Brescia, and entered while young into the order of Benedictines of Monte Cassino. At Florence he pursued a very extensive course of study under several of the most eminent men in science and letters of that age. Becoming a professor in his convent, he delivered an oration "De Mosaicæ Historiæ Præstantia," which was printed. His studies were for some time interrupted by an imagination that he had the stone; but the death of his physician Bellini, who fell a victim to a false impression respecting his own case, freed him from his fancied complaint, and in 1710 he set out upon what might truly be called his literary travels. He visited Germany, Holland, Flanders, England, and France, making in the latter country an abode of more than two years, during the greatest part of which time he resided in the Benedictine abbey of St. Germain des Pres. In this tour he became personally acquainted with every distinguished literary character in those countries, and visited every object of learned curiosity; every where exciting a general esteem of his talents, his industry, and his conduct. his return to Italy he published a Dissertation containing a plan for a history of Italy; an Essay on the history of the monastery of Farfa in the duchy of Spoleto; and an edition of the office for divine service according to the usage of the ancient Greek church. Pope Innocent XIII. soon afterwards created him Archbishop of Corfu, which dignity he filled in such a manner as to inspire the Greek separatists with veneration for his person. His residence in that island was the cause of his composing a learned work entitled “ Primordia Corcyræ ex antiquissimis Monumentis illustrata," 4to., 1725, reprinted at Brescia with additions in 1738. Benedict XIII. in 1727 raised Quirini to the cardinalate, after having nominated him to the bishopric of Brescia. His promotion to that see was followed by some publications relative to the literature of Brescia; and he further consulted the honour of his diocese by his attention to render its cathedral one of the most magnificent in Italy. His attachment to the see of Rome was displayed by a life of Pope Paul II. printed in 1740, the object of which. On writer dedicated to him his tragedy of Semi- QUISTORP, JOHN, a German Lutheran divine and professor of some note in the 17th century, was born at Rostock, in the year 1584. He pursued his academical studies at his native city, Berlin, and Frankfort on the Oder; and afterwards travelled through Holland, Brabant, and Flanders, in the capacity of governor to the son of a patrician of Lubec. In the year 1614, his learning and abilities having recommended him to the chair of professor of divinity at Rostock, before his entrance on the duties of that post he visited the principal German universities, and, upon his return home, he was created doctor of divinity. Sometime afterwards he obtained the archdeaconry of St. Mary's at Rostock. In 1645, he was appointed pastor of the same church, and superintendant of the churches in the district of that city. He had the enviable honour of rendering every service, which the most tender and faithful friendship could suggest, to the celebrated Hugo Grotius, during his last fatal illness at Rostock; and would, on this account alone, be entitled to respectful notice. Upon the death of Grotius, he wrote a Latin letter to Calovius, containing an account of the sickness and last sentiments of that great man; which is inserted in the was to defend the memory of that pontiff against the attacks of Platina. He was soon after appointed librarian to the Vatican, and prefect of the congregation of the Index, and in these posts he continued to serve the cause of literature. It was through his means that a new edition of the works of St. Ephrem was given, in 6 vols. folio, Greek, Syriac, and Latin. He likewise edited the letters of Cardinal Pole, accompanied by a dissertation to prove that the secession of the reformers from the Roman church was unjustifiable; and another to defend the character of Pope Paul III. But although he was a vigorous champion of the papacy, he wrote with a spirit of candour and moderation, which obtained the applause of the Protestants themselves. His proficiency in polite literature gave an amenity to his style and manner, and he had been too well acquainted with the learned of different communions, not to treat them with respect. He was associated to several literary societies, among which were the academies of Petersburg, Berlin, and Vienna, and the institute of Bologna. The Cardinal enjoyed a large revenue, which he expended with munificence on objects of charity and public splendour. At Rome he beautified the church of St. Mark whence he derived his cardinal's title; and he liberally contributed to the fine Catholic church at Berlin. He purchased a collection of books as the foundation of a public library at Brescia." Bibliotheque Choisie" of Colomies, and in His own select and valuable library he gave to the Vatican, where a new apartment was constructed to receive it. His charities to the poor at Brescia were numerous and extensive; and he was indefatigable in performing his pastoral duties, visiting the alpine parts of his diocese in the most inclement seasons. This illustrious prelate died greatly regretted at his episcopal residence in 1755, at the age of 75. Besides the works above mentioned, he published some pastoral instructions, an account of his own life, and a narrative of his travels. He had a turn for poetry, and made several translations in Italian and Latin verse, among which were versions of part of Voltaire's Henriade, and of his poem on the battle of Fontenoy. In return for the compliment, that great the " Vindicia Grotianæ," under the title of "Grotii manes." Professor Quistorp died in 1648, about the age of 64. He was the author of "Annotationes in omnes Libros biblicos;" "Commentarius in Epistolas Sancti Pauli ;""Manuductio ad Studium theologicum;" "Articuli Formulæ Concordiæ illustrati ;" besides numerous "Sermons," and "Dissertations" on a variety of subjects. He had a son of the same name, who was born at Rostock in 1624, and died in 1669. He became pastor, professor of divinity, and restor of the university in that city; and he signalized himself by his controversial writings against the papists. The titles of some of his pieces may be seen in Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M. R. RABANUS MAURUS MAGNEN- from his post, complaining that, in consequence TIUS, a learned and very celebrated German Prelate in the 9th century, was a Frank by nation, of noble descent, and born at Fulda in the year 785. He received the first part of his education at the abbey of Fulda, and was sent from thence to Tours, where he was placed under the instructions of the famous Alcuin. In this situation he distinguished himself by the assiduity with which he applied to his studies, and his unrivalled proficiency in all the learning of the times, both profane and sacred. Not long before the death of Alcuin he returned to Fulda, and embraced the religious profession in its abbey. In the year 810, the Abbot Ratgarius placed him at the head of the school belonging to his house; which the fame of his superior learning soon raised into great reputation, and filled with pupils, many of whom were afterwards promoted to the highest ecclesiastical dignities, and proved the brightest ornaments of that age. In the year 815, Haistulphus, Archbishop of Mentz, ordained him priest; and in 822, he was elected Abbot of Fulda. About the year 830, when the unhappy quarrel took place between the Emperor Lewis le Débonnaire and his sons, our Abbot conducted himself in that delicate situation with so much prudence and wisdom, that he gained the esteem and confidence of both parties, and proved the instrument of bringing about a reconciliation between them. Four years afterwards, Ebbo, Archbishop of Rheims, who had been condemned for high treason, was committed to his cuftody. In 838, at the request of Count Erlafrid, he sent a colony of monks from Fulda, to occupy a monastery lately founded by him at Hirschau; and at the same -time, in order that he might be enabled to pursue his studies with less interruption, devolved the care of governing his abbey on Hatto. During the following year the monks expelled him of his devoting himself so much to his studies, The piety, modesty, humility, liberality, and other virtues of Rabanus, are commended in warm terms by his biographers. When speaking of him as a scholar and writer, Dupin says,. "he excelled all his contemporaries in the learning known in those times; in explaining the principles of the liberal arts and sciences, and the rules of grammar and rhetoric; in a readiness in collecting from the Fathers of the Church common places upon the Sacred Scriptures; in allegorizing the historical parts of the Bible; in an exposition of the mystical reasons of the ceremonies; in a facility at turning prose into verse; and in the manner of reducing his common places into precepts and instructions. All the works of Rabanus come within this description." Mosheim passes a high encomium upon him. "Rabanus Maurus," says he, "Archbishop of Mentz, is deservedly placed at the head of the Latin writers of this age; the force of his genius, the extent of his know ledge, and the multitude of productions that flowed from his pen, entitle him to this distinguished rank, and render improper all comparison between him and his contemporaries. He may be called the great light of Germany and France, since it was from the prodigious fund of knowledge which he possessed, that these nations derived principally their religious instruction. His writings were every where in the hands of the learned, and were held in such veneration, that, during four centuries, the most eminent of the Latin divines appealed to them as authority in religious matters, and adopted almost universally the sentiments which they contained." These writings consist of "Commentaries," in Latin, on many of the books of the Old and New Testament, and the Apocrypha, which entitle him to be placed in the first rank of those who undertook to illustrate the Scriptures by compilations from the Fathers; "Homilies," in Latin, on the epistles and gospels; "Scripture Allegories," in Latin, which secure him an eminent place among the allegorical commentators on scripture; "Excerptio de Arte Grammatica Prisciani;" "De Universo, Lib. XX. sive Etymologiarum Opus;" "De Clericorum Institutione et Ceremoniis Ecclesiæ, Lib. III. ;""De Sacris Ordinibus, Sacramentis Divinis, et Vestimentis Sacerdotalibus, Lib. ;""De Disciplina Ecclesiastica, Lib. III. ;" "Lib. III. De videndo Deo, de Puritate Cordis, de Modo Pœnitentiæ;" "De Anima et Virtutibus," "Martyrologium;" "Poemata de diversis ;"" Glossæ Latino-barbarice," and "De Inventione Linguarum ab Hebræa usque ad Theodiscam, Lib. ;" both edited by Goldast, in the IId. Vol. of his "Rerum Alamannicar. Script. Vet ;" together with numerous other pieces, the subjects of which may be seen in Cave and Dupin. The greater part were collected together, and published at Cologn in 1627, by George Colvenerius, in 6 vols. folio; and other pieces, not in that collection, may be found in Baluze's "Miscellanea," among Father Sirmond's publications, and in the VIIIth. Vol. of the "Collect. Concil." as referred to in Cave's Hist. Lit. Vol. II. sub. Sac. Phot. Dupin. Moreri. Mosheim's Hist. Eccl. Sac. IX. Par. II. Cap. II. III.— M. RABELAIS, FRANCIS, a famous wit, was born in the latter part of the 15th century, at Chinon in Touraine. He entered among the Cordeliers, and became well skilled in the learned languages and the literature of the age. Such was his attachment to books, that having acquired popularity as a preacher, he expended what he gained by his sermons in providing himself with a small library. His life, however, was not so edifying as his discourses; and an adventure of his which caused scandal to the monastery was punished by imprisonment in his cloyster. His pleasant and facetious humour had so much ingratiated him with persons of rank, that he at length obtained his liberation, and permission from the Pope to quit his order and remove to that of St. Benedict. Not able, however, to reconcile himself to any restraint, he threw aside the religious habit, and went in 1530 to study medicine at Montpellier. After some time spent in that school, he repaired to Lyons, where he printed a collection of some. pieces of Hippocrates and Galen in the Latin translations then current, adding a few corrections. Continuing in that city, he published several other works, among which were some of the books of that History of Pantagruel which gave him so distinguished a place among burlesque writers. Visiting Paris about the end of the year 1535, he waited upon Cardinal John du Bellay, to whom he had been known while they resided in the same convent; and made himself so acceptable to that prelate, that he was taken into his house as his physician, reader, librarian, and steward. Du Bellay being nominated ambassador to the court of Rome, took Rabelais with him in 1536 to that capital, where his wit so much amused His Holiness and the Cardinals, that he obtained plenary absolution for the crime of apostacy. In 1537 he took the degree of doctor of physic at Montpellier, and according to the statutes gave public lectures, chusing for his subject the Prognostics of Hippocrates, which he commented. upon in Greek. He returned to the Cardinal du Bellay at Paris in 1538, and was presented by him with a prebend in the chapter of St. Maur. He was afterwards made the curé or parochial priest of Meudon, which office he held from 1545 to his death. His Pantagruel, which he finished about the time of his becoming pastor of Meudon, whilst it brought upon him the hostility of the monks, whom he had severely satirized, and who procured its condemnation by the Sorbonne and the parliament, caused his company to be much sought after, as the wittiest and most diverting buffoon of his time. The want of decency was easily pardoned at that period, and Rabelais had some estimable qualities, and possessed very extensive and various erudition, with a ready elocution, and an inexhaustible store of ludicrous ideas. He had, moreover, a fine person, agreeable features, and a happy address, so that few men have been better fitted to please in free society. The curé of Meudon became the reigning wit in France, and a number of repartees and humorous stories are current in his name, great part of which have also been ascribed to other popular jesters. He died at Paris in 1553, at the age of 63, according to one account, of 70, according to another. The "Pantagruel" and "Gargantua" of Rabelais are to be regarded as comic satires, often concealing under a whimsical extravagance attacks upon follies which it would not be safe seriously to expose. It is in vain, however, that commentators have attempted to find out meaning in much that is mere ribaldry and nonsense, and even to discover real history veiled in the allegory of burlesque, where the author meant nothing more than to make his reader laugh or wonder. His satire, where intelligible, is often just and ingenious; but the obscurity of his language and excentricity of his conceptions render the perusal of his works, to a modern at least, rather a task than an amusement. Many editions have been given of Rabelais: the most complete are those printed in Holland in 5 vols. 8vo. 1715, with notes by Duchat; and at Amsterdam in 3 vols. 4to. 1741, with plates by Picart. There have also been castigated editions by Perreau and Marsy. The letters of Rabelais were published in an 8vo. vol. with notes by St. Marthe. The celebrity of this singular person is perpetuated in the medical school of Montpellier, where the bachelors are invested with a scarlet robe, said to have been that of Rabelais. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Eloy. Dict. Hist. Med.-A. RABENER, THEOPHILUS WILLIAM, a celebrated German writer, was the son of an advocate at Leipsic, and was born at Wachau, an estate belonging to his father, in 1714. He received the rudiments of his education under private tutors, and in 1728 was sent to the college of Meissen, where he had for fellowstudents Grabener, Gärtner, and Gellert. With these he formed an early and intimate friendship, which continued till the last moment of his life, and particularly that with Gellert, who esteemed him, not only for his talents as an author, but for many other valuable qualities which he possessed. In 1735 he went to the University of Leipsic, where he applied chiefly to jurisprudence, but without neglecting the Muses, to whom he devoted some part of his time; and after remaining there two years, had the misfortune to lose his father. In 1741, Professor Schwabe having begun a journal entitled, "Belustigungen des Verstandes und Witzes," Amusements of Reason and Wit, Rabener became one of his co-adjutors, and continued to assist him by his contributions till the year 1744. The satires which compose the first volume of his works, and which are no less distinguished for invention, than delicacy of wit, made their first appearance in this journal; and it contains also a humorous piece written by him in 1743, entitled, "Proofs of the Necessity of employing Rhime in the German Poetry." This periodical work was conducted some time with considerable success, but it became at length degraded by literary disputes carried even to indecency; and the best writers withdrawing from it, established another, under the title of "Bremische Beyträge," Contributions of Bremen. The new literary society comprehended, besides others, Gärtner, Schlegel, Schmidt, Ebert, Hagedorn, Zacharia, and Rabener, who were soon after joined by Giseken, Gellert, and Klopstock. The journal of Bremen forms an epoch in the history of the German literature, as it introduced into that country a better taste, and tended greatly to improve the language, which before that time had been much neglected. In 1741, Rabener had been appointed controller of the taxes in the circle of Leipsic; a place of great fatigue, which required not only laborious exertion, but an exact knowledge of the laws of the country, and the most inflexible integrity; but notwithstanding the close attention which he bestowed on this office, he still found sufficient leisure to continue his literary pursuits, and towards the end of the year 1751, composed his satirical letters, in which he introduces persons of every state and character, all of whom speak in the language suited to their condition. In 1753 he was appointed. chief secretary to the directors of the taxes at: Dresden; and two years after, he published. |