, a learned professor of the university of Helmstadt, was born in
, a learned professor
of the university of Helmstadt, was born in 1722, at
Wernigerode. After having been educated at home, with
great care, by his father, who was judge of that city, and
counsellor to the count Stolberg of Wernigerode, he went
in 1739 to the school of Closter-Bergen, near Magdeburgh, then superintended by Steinmez, and in 1741, took
his leave of this school, in a Latin oration, “De societatibus hujus sevi notabilioribus.
” He then went to Halle,
and having early imbibed a taste for oriental languages
and sacred philology, he attached himself particularly to
the two Michaelis’s, father and son, who were then professors in that university. From Halle, he went to Leipsic, where he studied Arabic, Syriac, Chaldaic, Samaritan,
Ethiopian, and rabbinical Hebrew. On his return to Halle
in 1747, he maintained a thesis for his doctor’s degree,
under the presidency of Michaelis the father, “On the
antiquity of the Hebrew language
” and then opened a
course of lectures which were much admired. Notwithstanding this success, however, he left Halle, after a residence of two years, and settled at Helmstadt. Here he
became a most popular teacher, his lectures being attended
by an unusual number of students; and in 1754, the uniYersity secured his services by appointing him professor
extraordinary of oriental languages. About this time,
happening to meet with some works in which the study of
the Armenian, Coptic, and Turkish languages was recommended, he had a great desire to add these to his stock,
and not having been able to obtain the assistance of Jablonski for the Coptic, he determined to learn the others
without a master. Having begun this task at his lisure
hours, in 1756, he made such rapid progress as to be able
to publish, before the conclusion of the year, the first two
chapters of St. Matthew translated from the Turkish into
Latin, with a critical preface on the history and utility
of the Turkish language and the first four chapters of the
same evangelist translated from the Armenian into Latin,
with some considerations on the Armenian language.
These two little works, which were published, the first at
Bremen, and the other at Halle, were criticised with some
severity, perhaps not unjust; but the zeal and industry of
the author, although not altogether successful in these attempts, were still the subject of admiration, and were not
unrewarded. In 1760 he obtained a pension and in 1763,
lest he should accept of the offer of a professorship made
to him by the university of Giessen, that of Helmstadt
conferred on him the title of professor in ordinary of philosophy, with an augmentation of salary. His various
works in the mean time amply confirmed their choice, and
extended his reputation throughout Europe. Of his private life we have no further account, although it was prolonged for many years after this period, as he died of an apoplexy, March 7, 1796. His principal works are, 1. “Evangelium secundum Matthaeum ex versione Æthiopici interpretis in Bibliis polyglottis Anglicanis editum cum Graeco,
c.
” Halle, Evangelium secundum Matthaeum ex versione Persica, &c.
” Helmstadt, 17.50, 4to. 3. Persian translations of Mark, Luke,
and John, 1751, 4to. published separately. 4. “Evangelium secundum Marcum ex versione Arabica, &c.
”
Lerngow, Novum Testamentum ex versione jEthiopica, &c. in Latinum,
” Brunswick, Fragmenta Veteris Test, ex versione
Æthiopici interpretis, et alia quaedam opuscula Æthiopica,
”
Wolfenb. Pseudo-critica Millio-Bengeliana,
” Halle,