, a very learned Frenchman, was descended from an ancient and noble
, a very learned
Frenchman, was descended from an ancient and noble
family, seated originally at Pisa in Italy, and born in 1580.
His father, lienaud Fabri, lord of Beaugensier, sent him
at ten years of age to Avignon, where he spent five years
on his classical studies in the Jesuits’ college, and was removed to Aix in 1595, for the study of philosophy. In the
mean time, he attended the proper masters for dancing,
riding, and handling arms,all which he learned to perform with
expertness, but rather as a task, than a pleasure, for even at
that early period, he esteemed all time lost, that was not
employed on literature. It was during this period, that his
father being presented with a medal of the emperor Arcadius, which was found at Beaugensier, Peiresc begged
to have it: and, charmed with deciphering the characters
in the exergue, and reading the emperor’s name, in that
transport of joy he carried the medal to his uncle; who for
his encouragement gave him two more, together with some
books upon that subject. This incident seems to have led
him first to the study of antiquities, for which he became
afterwards so famous. In 1596, he was sent to finish his
course of philosophy under the Jesuits at Tournon, where
he also studied mathematics and cosmography, as being
necessary in the study of history, yet all this without relaxing from his application to antiquity, in which he was
much assisted by one of the professors, a skilful medallist;
nor from the study of belles lettres in general. So much
labour and attention, often protracted till midnight, considerably impaired his constitution, which was not originally very strong. In 1597, his uncle, from whom he had
great expectations, sent him to Aix, where he entered
upon the law; and the following year he pursued the same
study at Avignon, under a private master, whose name was
Peter David who, being well skilled likewise in
antiquities, was not sorry to find his pupil of the same taste, and
encouraged him in this study as well as that of the law.
Ghibertus of Naples, also, who was auditor to cardinal
Aquaviva, much gratified his favourite propensity, by a
display of various rarities, and by lending him Goltzius’s
“Treatise upon Coins.
” He also recommended a visit to
Home, as affording more complete gratification to an antiquary than auy part of Europe. Accordingly, his uncle
having procured a proper governor, he and a younger brother set out upon that tour, in Sept. 1599; and passing
through Florence, Bologna, Ferrara, and Venice, he fixed
his residence at Padua, in order to complete his course of
law. He could not, however, resist the temptation of going frequently to Venice, where he formed an acquaintance with the most distinguished literati there, as Sarpi,
Molinus, &c. in order to obtain a sight of every thing curious in that famous city. Among others, he was particularly caressed by F. Contarini, procurator of St. Mark, who
possessed a curious cabinet of medals*, and other antiquities, and found Peiresc extremely useful and expert in
explaining the Greek inscriptions. After a year’s stay at
Padua, he set out for Rome, and arriving there in Oct.
1600, passed six months in viewing whatever was remarkable. After Easter he gratified the same curiosity at Naples, and then returned to Padua about June. He novr
resumed his study of the law; and at the same time acquired such a knowledge of Hebrew, Samaritan, Syriac,
and Arabic, as might enable him to interpret the inscriptions on the Jewish coins, &c. In these languages he
availed himself of the assistance of the rabbi Solomon, who
was then at Padua. His taste for the mathematics was
also revived in consequence of his acquaintance with Galileo, whom he first saw at the house of Pinelli at Rome;
and he began to add to his other acquisitions a knowledge
of astronomy and natural philosophy. From this time it
was said that “he had taken the helm of learning into his
hand, and begun to guide the commonwealth of letters.
”
, a very learned Frenchman, member oi the Institute, and of all
, a
very learned Frenchman, member oi the Institute, and of
all the academies and learned societies of Kurope, was born
at Corbeille-sur- Seine, March 5, 1750. His family was
originally of Spain, but had settled in France in the early
part of the seventeenth century. His father, as well as
others of his ancestors, had served in the army. He began
his stiuiies at a very early age at the college of Lisieux,
from which he removed to that of Du Plessis, and in both
was distinguished by a decided taste for the ancient languages, especially the Greek, for the sake of which he
again removed to the college of Des Grassis, that he might
attend the Greek lectures of M. le Beau. Under his tuition
he distanced all his fellow-students, and gained all the
prizes destined to those who proved the superiority of their
taste in Homer. He afterwards attended the lectures of
Capperonier, Greek professor in the royal college of France,'
which were adapted to a more advanced state of proficiency,
and soon made such progress as to need no other instructor
than his own study. And such was the extent of his application, that he had already, although scarcely fifteen years
of age, perused almost all the writers of antiquity, poets,
orators, historians, philosophers, and grammarians. Having thus exhausted the usual stores of printed works, he
sought new treasures in manuscripts; and having foil' 1 i in
the library of St. Germain-des-Pres, a collection of inedited Greek lexicons, among which was that of Homer by
Apollonius, he formed the design of publishing this last,
which accordingly appeared in 1773, preceded by ample
prolegomena, and accompanied by notes and observations,
the extensive and profound erudition of which appeared
very extraordinary in a young man of only twenty-two.
The academy of inscriptions and belles lettres, to which
Villoison submitted his work before it was printed, had admitted him a member during the preceding year, after having obtained a dispensation on account of his age, without
which he could not be elected. The reason assigned was
extremely honourable to him: “that having anticipated
the age of profound knowledge, it was just that he should
enjoy its advantages earlier than other men; and that he
should outstrip them in a career of honours, as he had in
that of learning.
”