Brodeau, John

, in Latin Brod&Us, an eminent critic, on whom Lipsius, Scaliger, Grotius, and all the learned of his age, have bestowed high encomiums, was descended from a noble family in France, and born at Tours in 1500. He was liberally educated, and placed under Alciat to study the civil law; but, soon forsaking that, he gave himself up wholly to languages and the belles-lettres. He travelled into Italy, where he became acquainted with Sadolet, Bembus, and other eminent characters; and here he applied himself to the study of philosophy, mathematics, and the sacred languages, in which he made no small proficiency. Then returning to his own country, he led a retired but not an idle life; as his many learned lucubrations abundantly testify. He was a man free from all ambition and vain-glory, and suffered his works to be published rather under the sanction and authority of others, than under his own: a singular example, says Thuanus, of modesty in this age, when men seek glory not only from riches and honours, but even from letters; and that too with a vanity which disgraces them. He died in 1563, at Tours, where he was a canon of St. Martin. His principal works are, 1. his “Miscellanea, a collection of criticisms and remarks, the first six books of which are published in Gruter’s” Lampas, seu fax artium,“vol. II. and the four latter in vol. IV. 2.” Annotationes in Oppianurn, Q. Calabrum, et Coluthum,“Basil, 1552, 8vo. 3.” Notae in Martialem,“ibid. 1619, 8vo. 4.” Annot. in Xenophontem, Gr. et Lat.“ibid. 1559, fol. 5.” Epigrammata Grseca cum Annot. Brodaei et H. Steph." Francfort, 1600, fol. Many of these epigrams were translated into Latin by Dr. Johnson, and are printed with his works. ²