Kortholt, Christian

, grandson of the preceding, was born in 1709, at Keil, where his father, Sebastian Kortholt, was professor. He discovered an early disposition towards the sciences, and made so rapid a progress in them, that he was admitted at twenty to assist in the “Journal of Leipsic,” in which may be found some good pieces of his till 1736, and some well chosen extracts from works on ecclesiastical history. Kortholt visited Holland and England, and was esteemed by the learned there. While in England he drew up a short account of the society of Antiquaries of London, “Epistola ad Kappium de Soc. Ant. Lond.” Leipsic, 1730, 4to. He went afterwards to Vienna, as chaplain to the Danish ambassador, and was appointed professor of divinity, 1742, at Gottingen, where he died in the flower of his age, 1751, leaving several valuable works. The principal among the Latin ones are, “De Ecclesiis suburbicariis” “De Enthusiasmo Muhammedis” and several excellent “Dissertations.” The most esteemed of those in German are, a “Treatise on the truth of Christianity” “Sermons,” &c. He published four volumes of Latin letters by Leibnitz, a volume of his French letters, and a collection of various pieces on philosophy, mathematics, history, &c. by the same author. ¹