Richard

, abbot of St. Victor in the twelfth century, was a native of Scotland. After such education as his country afforded, in polite literature, the sacred scriptures, and mathematics, which we are told were the objects of his early studies, he went, as was much the custom then, to Paris, Here the fame of Hugh, abbot of St. Victor, induced him to retire into that monastery, that he might pursue his theological studies under so great a master. At the regular periods he took the habit, was admitted into holy orders, and so much acquired the esteem of his brethren, that in 1164, upon the death of Hugh, they unanimously chose him their prior, in which station he remained until his death, March 10, 1173. During this time he composed many treatises on subjects of practical divinity, and on scripture criticism, particularly on the description of Solomon’s temple, Ezekiel’s temple, and on the apparent contradictions in the books of Kings and Chronicles, respecting the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel. Dupin speaks rather favourably of these treatises. They were all published at Paris in 1518, and 1540, in 2 vols. folio, at Venice in 1592, at Cologne in 1621, and at Rouen in 1650, which is reckoned the best edition. ²