, professor of history and rhetoric at Marpurg, was born Aug. 18, 1724,
, professor of history and
rhetoric at Marpurg, was born Aug. 18, 1724, at Techentin, in the duchy of Mecklenburg, of which place his
father was minister. Alter his decease, his mother married his successor, John Frederic Aepin; and it was from
him that her son’s mind received its first cultivation. He
was then placed in the schools at Parchim anil Schwerin,
and in 1742 repaired to the university of Rostock. Having
completed his academical studies, he accepted the
situation of private tutor in the family of the superintendant
Paul Rehfeld, of Stralsund. Here he remained till the
minister of state, baron von Schwicheidt, of Hanover, became acquainted with him, and entrusted him with the
education of his children. That gentleman gave Curtius
many proofs of the regard he entertained for him. Among
other things, during the seven years’ war, at a time when
he himself was overwhelmed with business, he once charged
Curtius with an important commission to the duke of Brunswick, who then commanded the allied army. He likewise
gained the entire confidence of that excellent minister,
the baron von Miinchhausen, who had become acquainted
with him by means of Schwicheidt. He held his situation
in the house of the latter till 1759, when he was appointed
regular professor at the academy of Lilneburg, where he
taught logic, metaphysics, history, &c. In 1767 he was
appointed professor of history, rhetoric, and poetry, at
Marburg, and about this time published his “Commentarii
de Senatu Romano, sub iniperatoribus, &c.
” In