Zeiler, Martin

, an indefatigable German geographer, was born in Stiria in 1589. His father had been pupil of Melanctbon, and minister at Uim. He was appointed inspector of the German schools, and though with the disadvantage of having but one eye, was a very arduous and successful student, and wrote many works; the most esteemed among which are those relative to the modern geography of Germany, viz. “The Itinerary of Germany;” “The Topography of Bavaria;” “The Topography of Suabia,” which is very accurate; “The Topography of Alsace;” “of the States of Brunswick;” and “of the Country of Hamburgh;” The “Itinerary of Italy,” which is much esteemed; and a pretty good “Description of Hungary,” &c. These compose almost all the whole topography of Merian, in 31 vols. folio. Zeiler also left two volumes of Historians, Geographers, and Chronologers, in which he has copied the whole of Vossius, and other authors, but without correcting their mistakes. He died Oct. 6, 1661, at Ulm, aged seventy- three. ²