Cellarius, Christopher

, an eminent critic and geographer, was born 1638, at Smalcalde, a little town in Franconia, where his father was minister. His mother, Mary Zehners, was daughter of the famous divine, Joachim Zehners. He came of a family in which learning seems to have been hereditary. When three years old, he had the misfortune to lose his father, but his mother took care of his education. He began his studies in the college of Smalcalde, and at eighteen was removed to Jena, to finish his studies in that university. During a residence of three years in this place, he applied to classical learning under Bosius, to philosophy under Bechman, to the Oriental languages under Frischmuth, and to mathematics under Weigelius. In 1659 he quitted Jena to go to Giessen, to study divinity under Peter Haberkorn. He afterwards returned to Jena, and took a doctor’s degree there in 1666. The year following he was made professor of Hebrew and morai philosophy at Weissenfels, in which office he | continued for seven years. In 1673 he was called to Weimar, to be rector of the college there, which, at the end of three years, he exchanged for a similar rank at Zeits. After two years stay here, the college of Mersbourg was offered to him, which he accepted. His learning, his abilities, and his diligence, soon rendered this college famous, and drew a great number of students; and the place was so agreeable to him, that he determined to end his days there; but Providence disposed of him otherwise. For the king of Prussia, having founded an university at Halle in 1693, prevailed upon him to be professor of eloquence and history in it, and here he composed a great part of his works. His great application shortened his days, and hastened on the infirmities of old age. He was a long time afflicted with the stone, but never could be persuaded to seek assistance from medicine. He died, 1707, in his sixty-ninth year.

He published good editions of above twenty Latin and Greek authors; and should we give a complete catalogue of his own works, it would shew an astonishing example of literary industry. But although he was a very voluminous writer, he published nothing in haste, and nothing but what was in general correct and useful. His works relate chiefly to grammar, to geography, to history, and to the Oriental languages. As they are so very numerous, we shall only mention some of the most considerable: 1. “A Latin Grammar,” in German, 1689, 8vo. 2. “Antibarbarus Latinus, sive de Latinitate mediae et infimae aetatisl,” 1677, 12mo. Before he published this book, Glaus Borrichius had published, at Copenhagen, a work entitled “Cogitationes de variis linguae Latinos aetatibus, &c.” which Celiarius having not’seen, and reading afterwards, was the occasion of his making an addition to his own, under the title of, 3. “Curie posteriores de barbarismis et idiotismis sermonis Latini,” 1686, 12mo. 4. “Orthographia Latina ex vetustis monumentis, hoc est nummis, marmoribus, &c. excerpta, digesta, novisque observationibtis illustrata,” 1700, 8vo. 5. “Historia universalis brev-iter ac perspicue exposita, in antiquam et medii aevi ac novam divisa, cum notis perpetuis,” 1703, 3 vols. 12mo. 6. “Collectanea Historic Samaritanae, quotquot inveniri potuerunt,” 1688, 4to. He had a design of writing a complete history of the Samaritans; but for want of materials was forced to give it up. He collected, however, in this work, | what he could find relating to their manners, religion, &c. 7. “Historia gentis & religionis Samaritanae ex nova Sichemitarum epistola aucta,” 1699, 4to. 8. “Grammatica Hebrasa in tabulis synopticis una cum consilio 24 herisdiscendi linguam sanctam.” To which he added, “Rabbinismus, sive institutio grammatica pro legendis Rabbinorum scriptis,” 1684, 4to. 9. “Canones de linguae sanctce idiotismis,” 1679, 4to. 10. “Sciagraphia philoiogiae sacrae, cum etymologico radicum deperditarum ex aliis linguis, Arabica praesertim, restitutarum,” 1678, 4to. 11. “Chaldaismus, sive grammatica nova linguae Chaldaica?,” &c. 1685, 4to. 12. “Porta Syriae, sive grammatica Syriaca,” 1684, 4to. 13. “Horae Samaritans,” &c. 1682, 4to. 14. “Isagoge in linguam Arabicam,” 1686, 4to.

His works in geography are well known, as excellent helps to the understanding of ancient authors. His “Notitia Orbis Antiqui,” was published at Cambridge in 1703, 2 vols. 4to, and Leipsic, 1731. And a sixth edition of the abridgement, by Patrick, was published at London, in 1731; but for a more particular account of the author and his works, the reader may be referred to J. G. Walchius’s discourse of his life and writings, prefixed to his <c Dissertationes Academicae,“published at Leipsic, 1712, 8vo This volume alone would have been sufficient to have procured him a considerable name in the learned world. The principal classics, &c. edited by him are,” Ciceronis Epist. act Familiares“” Plinii Epist.“” Corn. Nepos;“” Quintus Curtius;“” Eutropius“” Sextus Jlufus;“”Velleius Paterculus;“Duod. Panegyr. Antiq.;” “Lactantius;” “Minutius Felix;” “St. Cyprian, de Vanit. Idol.” Sedulius“” Prudentius“” Silius Italicus;“” Pici Mirandul. Epist.“” Zosimus;“” Paeanius“the” Thesaurus of Faber, M with large additions. ¹