Lully, Raimond

, was a native of Majorca, born in 1236. He was considered in his own time as a prodigy of learning and sagacity, and honoured with the title of Doctor illuminatus. His logic, and his art of memory, have been particularly celebrated, but are not found to deserve the commendations they once received. After applying most diligently to almost all sciences, he lost his life in the character of a missionary. Having gone thither to preach the truths of the Gospel, he suffered great hardships in Africa, and died on his passage home, in March 1315, at the age of eighty. His body was carried to Majorca, where he was honoured as a martyr. His works were published collectively, within these few years, at Mentz; and treat of theology, morals, physic, chemistry, natural philosophy, law, &c. in a truly barbarous style, with much erudition and subtlety, but very little of sound judgment. There are few instances of a great fame so completely extinct as that of Raimond Lully. His art of memory, indeed, for which he was most celebrated, is a most ridiculous invention, wholly unworthy of notice, except, says Brucker, as a specimen of the artifice with which men, who have more ingenuity than honesty, frequently impose upon vulgar weakness and credulity. ¹