was born and educated at Aberdeen. On entering into the ministry he became pastor of the English church at Amsterdam, where he continued several years; and on his return was appointed professor of Greek in King's-college, Aberdeen. He succeeded his father in the chair of divinity, was elected one of the ministers of Old Aberdeen, and made king's chaplain for Scotland. He died suddenly, September 28. 1815. Gerard published-1. On Indifference with respect to Religious Truths, a sermon, 8vo. 2. "Institutes of Biblical Criticism,' 8vo., dedicated to Dr. Herbert Marsh, now bishop of Peterborough. Gent. Mag.

Dr.

GERARD THOM, or " GERARD TENQUE," founder of the order of St. John, of Jerusalem, was born at Amalfi. He was the first grand-master of the knights hospitallers of Jerusalem, who afterwards became the knights of Malta. This was in 1081; and in 1100 Gerard took the religious habit, and associated with others, who made the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. The object of their institution was to defend Christian pilgrims in their journey to and from the Holy Land. Gerard died in 1120. Vertot's Hist. of the Order of Malta.

GERARDE (John), an English botanist, was born at Nantwich, in Cheshire, in 1545. He practised surgery in London, where also he became gardener to lord Burleigh. Gerarde himself had a large botanic garden in Holborn, of which he published a catalogue in 1596. But his great work is his Herbal, printed in 1597, and re-published by Dr. Thomas Johnson, in 1636, folio. Gerarde died in 1607.- Pulteney's Sketches.

GERBAIS (John), doctor of the Sorbonne, professor of rhetoric at the Royal college of Paris, and principal of the college of Rheims, died in that city in 1699. He wrote-1." De Causis Majoribus," 4to. 2. A Treatise on the Authority of Kings over Marriages, 4to. 3. Lettre sur la Comedie, 12mo. 4. Lettre sur les dorures et le luxe des habits des Femmes, &c. Moreri.

GERBIER (sir Balthasar), a painter, was born at Antwerp in 1592. He came to England with Rubens, and received the honour of knighthood from Charles I., who made him his agent at Brussels, and employed him in different negociations. In the civil wars he attempted, without effect, to establish an academy in London. Afterwards he went to Surinam; but was seized by the Dutch, and sent to Holland. At the Restoration he prepared the triumphal arches for the reception of the king. He died in 1667.- Walpole's Anecdotes.

GERBILLON (John Francis), a Jesuit missionary in China, was born in 1654. He wrote "Observations on Great Tartary;" and an Account of his Travels is inserted in Du Halde's History of China. He was in great favour with the emperor, for whom he composed the Elements of Geometry, which were printed in the Chinese and Tartar languages.

Moreri.

He died at Pekin in 1707.

GERDIL (Hyacinth Sigismond), a cardinal, was born at Samoens, in Piedmont, in 1718. He was of the Barnabite order; and in 1742 was chosen professor of philosophy at Macerata, from whence he removed to Turin, where he was appointed tutor to the prince royal of Sardinia. In 1777 he was made a cardinal. He treated the concordat proposed by Buonaparte as an hypocritical farce; and told the pope, that in signing it he had ruined religion. He died at Rome in 1802. The cardinal published — 1. A Treatise on the Immortality of the Soul. 2. A Treatise on the Nature of Ideas. 3. Introduction to the Study of Religion. 4. Another against Duels. 5. Reflections on Education, in Confutation of Rousseau, 2 vols. 6. The Phenomena of Capillary Tubes. All his works were printed toge ther, in 6 vols. 4to. at Bologna. - Dict Hist.

GERHARD (John), a Lutheran divine, was born at Quedlinburg, in Saxony, in 1582 In 1605 he was appointed to a church in Franconia, and professor of divinity in the Casimirian-college of Cobourg, which place

he quitted for the theological chair at Jena; where he continued till his death, in 1763. His works are numerous; and one, entitled "Meditations," has been translated into most European languages, and even into Greek. His eldest son, John Ernest Gerhard, was born at Jena in 1621. He became professor of history at Jena, and died in 1688. Among his works are-1. "Harmonia Linguarum Orientalium." 2. Dis putationum Theologicarum Fasciculus. 3. De Ecclesiæ Coptica ortu, progressu, et doctrina. Ephraim Gerhard, a lawyer, was born in Silesia in 1682. He became a professor at Altorf, and died in 1718. He wrote "Delineatio Philosophiæ Rationalis." - Moreri.

GERLACH (Stephen), a Lutheran divine, was born in Suabia in 1546. He resided five years at Constantinople, in the suite of the imperial ambassador; and on his return to Germany became professor and dean of Tubingen. He died in 1612. The most curious of his works is "An Account of the Embassy to the Porte," published at Frankfort, in 1674, fol.

·Fracheri Theatrum. GERMANICUS (Cæsar), the son of Drusus and Antonia. When Augustus died he was in Germany, where the army would have raised him to the imperial dignity if he had not strenuously refused it. He defeated the Germans under Arminius; and on his return to Rome was honoured with a triumph. He was next sent to the east, where he dethroned the king of Armenia, who had revolted. But the splendour of his achievements excited the jealousy of Tiberius, who, it was supposed, contrived to get rid of him by poison. He died at Antioch, A. D. 29, in the thirty-fourth year of his age; and his widow, Agrippina, by whom he had nine children, carried the urn bearing his ashes into the city of Rome, where all the citizens sympathized in her grief. Some specimens of his Latin poems are extant. He also wrote Greek comedies, which are lost. Univ. Hist.

GERMON ( Anastasius), a lawyer and divine, was born at Turin in 1551. He became professor of canon law, and archdeacon of his native place; and at last was made archbishop of Tarantesia in Savoy. He died on an embassy to Madrid in 1627. All his works were printed at Rome, in 1623, folio. - Moreri.

GERMON (Bartholomew), a Jesuit, was born at Orleans in 1663; and died there in 1718. He published a very curious book against Mabillon, "De veteribus regum Francorum diplomatibus," 12mo. He was also the author of a work entitled "De veteribus hæreticis ecclesiasticorum codicum corruptoribus," 8vo. — - Ibid.

GERSON (John), or CHARLIER, an eminent divine, was born at Gerson, in Champagne, He was educated at Paris, of

in 1363.

which church he became chancellor and canon. He distinguished himself at the council of Constance; the authority of which over the pope he strenuously defended. After this he retired to a convent at Lyons, where he died in 1429. His works were published, by Dupin, in 5 vols. folio, 1706. There was another, John Gerson, abbot of Verceil in the twelfth century, to whom some have ascribed the book "De Imitatione Christi," which bears the name of Thomas à-Kempis. - Dupin. Cave.

GERSTEN (Christian Louis), a mathematician, was born at Giessen in 1701. He was appointed to the professorship of mathematics at his native place, in 1733; but was afterwards deprived of it for not submitting to the decision of a court of justice in a lawsuit. Failing in his endeavours to recover his situation, he libelled the landgrave, for which he was imprisoned. He died in 1762. He wrote some Latin works on Barometrical Observations; a new Method of calculating Eclipses; the Transit of Mercury over the Sun's Disk; and the description of a mural quadrant.-Jocher's Gelerht. Lex.

GERVAISE (Armand Francis), a restless French monk, who quitted the order of Carmelites for that of La Trappe, where, by his intrigues, he got himself elected abbot. Afterwards he became embroiled with the Bernardines, for which he was confined in an abbey till his death in 1755. He wrote-1." A general History of the Cistercians." 2. The Life of St. Cyprian. 3. The Lives of Abelard and Heloise, 2 vols.

4. History of the Abbé Segur, 3 vols. 5. Life of St. Irenæus, 2 vols. 6. Life of Rufinus, 2 vols. 7. Life of the Apostle Paul, 3 vols. 8. Letters on the English Ordinations against Courayer; and other works. Moreri.

GERVAISE (Nicholas), a French mission. ary, was the brother of the preceding, and born at Paris. Before he was twenty he went to Siam, where he remained four years; and on his return published the Natural and Civil History of that kingdom; also a Description of Macassar, 4to. 1688. He was afterwards provost of the church of St. Martin at Tours, which induced him to write the life of that saint. His next work was entitled" Histoire de Boëce," at Paris, Being consecrated bishop of Horren, in Guiana, he went thither; but was murdered, with all his clergy, by the natives, Nov. 20. 1729. · Ibid.

GERVASE OF TILBURY, SO named from the place of his birth. He was nephew of Henry II.; and became marshal of the kingdom of Arles. He wrote a Commentary on Jeffery of Monmouth's British History;" also "A tripartite History of England;" the "History of the Holy Land;" Origines Burgundiorum;" "Mirabilia Orbis ;" and a chronicle entitled

"De Otiis imperialibus." The "Liber Niger Scaccarii" has been ascribed to him, but erroneously. - Nicolson's Hist. Lib.

GERVASE OF CANTERBURY, another historian of the thirteenth century, was a monk of Canterbury. He wrote a chronicle of the Kings of England from 1122 to 1200; also a History of the Archbishops of Canterbury, from Augustine to Hubert, who died in 1205. - Ibid.

GESNER (Conrad), called the "German Pliny," was born at Zurich in 1516. He studied at Strasburgh, from whence he was called by the university of his native place, and appointed teacher of the public school. His original destination was the church; but having an inclination to medicine, he resigned his school, and went to Basil, where he entered on the study of the sciences, connected with physic. While thus engaged he was invited to Lausanne to be Greek professor, the advantages of which situation enabled him to prosecute his researches into natural history, and to take his doctor's degree at Basil. He now returned to Zurich, where he was chosen professor of philosophy; but after filling that post twenty four years, he was carried off by the plague in 1565. His works are 1. Bibliotheca Universalis; a catalogue of Latin, Greek and Hebrew books, printed at Zurich, folio. 2. Historiæ Animalium, 3 vols. folio. 3. Aquatilium Animantium enumeratio juxta Plinium, 8vo. 4. De Lacte, 8vo. 5. De Secretis Remediis Thesaurus, i. e. a pharmacopeia. 6. De raris et admirandis herbis, quæ sive quod noctu luceant, sive alias ob causas, Lunariæ nominantur, 4to. 7. De omni rerum Fossilium genere, 8vo. 8. De rerum Fossilium, Lapidum, et Gemmarum maxime figuris. We are told by Haller, that Gesner was the first person who, being short-sighted, used concave glasses.-Life by Simler. Haller Bibl. Bot. GESNER (John), a canon of Zurich, and professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in that university, was born in 1709. He studied at Leyden and Basle, where he contracted an intimacy with Haller; and their epistles have been printed. He died in 1790. Gesner published two dissertations on plants, in 1741, in which he announced the new system of Linnæus, of whom he says, that he was a man destined to reform all natural history Besides these he was the author of eleven dissertations, published under the title of "Phytographia Sacra." He also wrote on extraneous Fossils; and compiled an index to Weinman's "Phytographia." But he was grossly imposed on, as well as Haller, by the present of a meadow crowfoot, on the branches of which the flowers of the daisy had been so neatly fastened as to escape detection till after Gesner's death. Of this rarity he published a description, in a learned discourse on vegetable monsters, entitled "De Ranun

culo Bellidifloro." The cheat was dis covered by sir Joseph Banks. - Rees' Cyclopædia.

His

GESNER (John Matthew), a learnel critic, was oorn near Newburg, in Germany, in 1691. After studying at Anspach, he became master of the public-school of Weinheim, and lastly settled at Gottingen as professor of the languages, librarian, and inspector of the schools. He died there in 1761. His greatest work is a Thesaurus of the Latin tongue, 4 vols. folio. He also published editions of Horace and Claudian, in Latin; and in the Greek, the Argonautics of Orpheus; with the tracts, "De Lapidibus;" and the "Hymns." brother, John James, who died in 1787, was an ingenious medallist, and published a very valuable work, entitled " Thesaurus Numismatum," 2 vols. fol. · Sari Onomasticon. GESNER (Solomon), a Lutheran divine, was born at Boleslau, in Silesia, in 1559. He became professor of theology at Wittemberg, where also he filled the important offices of dean and rector of the university, assessor in the ecclesiastical consistory, and first preacher in the church. He died in 1605. His works are, a Latin translation of the Prophecy of Hosea; Disquisitions on the Psalms; and other commentaries. — Melch. Adam in Vit. Theol.

GESNER (Solomon), a poet and painter, was the son of a bookseller at Zurich, and born there in 1730. He was placed under a bookseller at Berlin; but soon eloped from his master, and employed his time in painting and poetry. On his return to Zurich be published "Daphnis ;" which was followed by "Inkle and Yarico;" but his fame was established by his pastorals. He next added to his celebrity by the very popular piece of “The Death of Abel," which made his name known throughout Europe. About his thirtieth year he married; and from this time carried on the various occupations of poet, engraver, painter, and bookseller. The latter profession, however, devolved chiefly on Mrs. Gesner. In 1765 he was admitted a member of the great council of Zurich; and two years after to the lesser In 1768 he was appointed bailiff of Eilibach; but in the midst of these honours, and usefulness, he was cut off by a stroke of the palsy, March 2. 1788, leaving behind him a widow and three children. A statue to his memory has been erected by the public, on the banks of the Limmot. He published some plates, etched and engraved by himself, from his own landscapes. - Life prefired to his works.

GETHIN (lady Grace), an ingenious lady, was the daughter of sir George Norton, of Abbotsleigh, in Somersetshire, and born in 1676. She married sir Richard Gethin, bart., of Ireland, but died soon after in 1697, and was buried, not in Westminster Abbey, but at Hollingbourne in Kent.

GETHING (Richard), a penman, was a native of Herefordshire. He settled in Fetterlane, London; and about 1616 published a copy-book of various hands. In 1645 appeared another, entitled "Chirographia," of which there is an edition in 1664, with his portrait in the front. Besides these works he published "Calligraphotechnia," which was dedicated to sir Francis Bacon, in 1626. - Massey's Origin of Letters.

GEUSS (John Michael), professor of mathematics at Copenhagen, was born in Holstein in 1745, and died there in 1786. He published-1. The Art of constructing Mines, 1776. 2. A Voyage to Iceland, translated from the German, 2 vols. 4to. 3. Tables of Logarithms, from Briggs. Gen. Biog.

GHIRLANDAIO (Domenico), a painter, whose family name was Corradi, was born at Florence in 1449. He worked for the churches and convents of his native city, both in fresco and oil; and was the first who left off gilding in pictures. He was called to Rome to paint the Sistine-chapel, but his works were afterwards removed to make room for those of his pupil Michael Angelo. He died in 1493. His son Ridolfo was an excellent artist, and highly esteemed by Raphael. He died in 1560.- Pilkington.

GIANNONE (Peter), an historian, was born at Ischitella in Apulia in 1676. He was a lawyer by profession, but distinguished himself by the "History of Naples," which he published in 1723, in 4 vols. 4to. Having in this work treated the origin of the papal power too freely, he was obliged to fly from his native country, and seek an asylum in Piedmont, where he died in 1748. Extracts from his history appeared at Amsterdam, under the title of "Anecdotes Ecclesiastiques." His posthumous works were printed in 1 vol. 4to. 1768. A translation of the history of Naples was published in London, in 2 vols. folio, 1731.-Fabroni Vitæ Ital.

GIARDINI (Felix), a musician, was born in Piedmont, and when a boy, was a chorister at Milan, where he learned singing, to play on the harpsichord, and the principles of composition; after which he applied to the violin, on which instrument he excelled. In 1750 he came to England, where he met with great encouragement, and in 1756 had a joint interest in the Opera; which failing he had recourse to teaching. After re siding here about thirty years, he went to Italy, and returned in 1789; but a new style being then in fashion, he went to Russia, where he died in 1793. Rees's Cyclopædia.

GIB (Adam), a Scotch divine, and one of the founders of the Seceders, was born in Perthshire in 1713, and educated at Edinburgh. He was dismissed from bis pastoral charge in 1733, and then formed a congregation of his own; but in 1746, a new schism arose respecting the oaths of the burgesses, and from this time, the secession church became divided into burghers and antiburghers, of which last Mr. Gib was the advocate. He died in 1788. His works are-1. A Display of the Secession Testimony, 2 vols. 2. Sacred Contemplations. 3. An Essay on Liberty and Necessity. Encyclop. Britannica.

Yet with a meagre

GIBBON (Edward), an elegant writer, was the son of Edward Gibbon, esq., of Putney, and born there April 27. 1737. He was sent to Westminster-school, but being of a sickly constitution, was taken from thence, and placed under Philip Francis, the translator of Horace, by whose instructions he profited little. stock of classical learning, he was sent, at the age of fifteen, to Magdalen-college, Oxford, where he remained little more than a year, having professed himself a convert to popery. His father then placed him with a Calvinist minister at Lausanne, where he renounced the Roman faith, without taking up any other in its room. However he made a good proficiency in the classics, and particularly in the French language. While at Lausanne, he fell in love with Mademoiselle Curchod, but was prevented from marrying her, by the interdict of his father;

and the lady became the wife of the celebrated Necker. In 1758 he returned to England, and in 1761 published his first literary performance entitled "Essai sur l'Etude de la Littérature." About this time he obtained a commission in the Hampshire militia, and when the regiment was disbanded he resumed his studies, chiefly devoting his time to the Greek language, with a view to historical composition. In 1763 he went on his travels, and while sitting amidst the ruins of the capitol at Rome, he formed the idea of writing the history of the decline and fall of that city. In the mean time, he joined M. Deyvurdun in a journal called "Memoires Littéraires de la Grand Bretagne," which met with no success. The next production of Mr. Gibbon was entitled "Critical Observations on the Sixth Æneid," against Warburton. In 1770 he began his celebrated history of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, the first volume of which, in quarto, appeared in 1776; but though greatly admired, it was immediately attacked on account of the offensive chapters in it respecting Christianity. To one of his assailants only, however, did Mr. Gibbon vouchsafe to make a reply; and that was Mr. Davis, who had charged him with falsifying his quotations. The remainder of the work came out at intervals, the sixth and last volume being published in 1788. Previous to this undertaking, Mr. Gibbon was chosen into parliament for Liskeard, and when hostilities commenced between this country and France, in 1778, he was employed to draw up the manifesto on that occasion; for which he was made commissioner of the board of trade, but lost the place on the change of administration in 1783. He then went to reside at Lausanne, where he continued till the French revolution obliged him to return to England, and here he died Jan. 16. 1794. His friend, Lord Sheffield, published, in 1796, the memoirs and miscellaneous works of Mr. Gibbon in 2 vols. 4to. to which another volume of papers and correspondence has since been added.

GIBBON (John), an ancestor of the above, was born in London in 1629. He had the place of blue mantle in the herald's office, and died about 1700. He wrote-Introductio ad Latinam Blazoniam, 8vo., and some other books of no value. —Gen. Biog. Dict.

GIBBONS (Grinling), a carver and statuary, was born in London. He gave to wood the lightness of flowers, and executed several fine works both in that way, in marble, and in bronze. The principal of his productions are, the wooden throne at Canterbury, the monument of viscount Camden, at Exton in Rutlandshire, the font in St. James's church, the statue of Charles II. at Charing-cross, and that of James II. in the Privy Garden. He died in 1721.- Walpole's Painters. GIBBONS (Orlando), an English musician,

66

was born in 1583. He became organist of the chapel royal, and doctor of music at Oxford. In 1612 he published " Madrigals of five parts for Voices and Viols;" but the most esteemed of his works are his church compositions, consisting of services and anthems. On going to attend the princess Henrietta of France, queen consort of Charles I. at Canterbury, he caught the small-pox, and died there in 1625. His son, Dr. Christopher Gibbons, was organist to Westminster abbey, and also to Charles II. Ellis Gibbons, the brother of Orlando, was organist of Salisbury cathedral, and the author of some madrigals. — Hawkins and Burney.

GIBBONS (Thomas), a dissenting minister, was born at Swaffham in Norfolk, in 1720. He became pastor of an independent meeting in Silver-street, London, in 1742; but the next year, removed to Haberdashers' Hall. In 1754, he became one of the tutors of the academy at Mile End, and in 1764 received the degree of doctor in divinity from Aber. deen. He died in 1785. Dr. Gibbons published — 1. Juvenilia; or poems on se veral occasions. 2. Family Sermons, 8vo. 3. A system of Rhetoric, 8vo. 4. Female Worthies; or the Lives of Pious Women, 2 vols. 8vo. 5. Memoirs of Dr. Isaac Watts, 8vo. After his death, three volumes of his sermons were published by subscription. — Gen. Biog. Dict.

GIBBS (James), an eminent architect, was born at Aberdeen in 1674, and educated at the Marischal-college, where he took the degree of master of arts; after which he went to Holland, and entered into the service of a builder. Here he became known to the earl of Mar, who patronised him, and thus he was enabled to travel for improvement into Italy. About 1710 he came to England, where by the interest of his noble friend, he was employed in planning and executing St. Martin's church in the Fields, St. Mary in the Strand, and other public works. After this he executed the Radcliff library, at Oxford; and the small house at Cambridge, where also he showed his abilities in King's College, and the Royal Library. He died in 1754. In 1728 he published a folio volume of his designs.—Walpole's Anecdotes.

GIBBS (Sir Vicary), chief justice of the Common Pleas, was the son of an apothecary at Exeter, and born there in 1752. He received his education at Eton, from whence he removed to King's college, Cambridge, where he was distinguished by his classical attainments, and in 1772 was elected to a Craven scholarship. While at college, be entered as a student of Lincoln's Inn, and in due course was called to the bar. Through the friendship of Dunning, he became a leading counsel on the western circuit; and on the death of Mr. Richard Burke, was chosen recorder of Bristol. The trials of