THE LIFE OF THE TRULY EMINENT AND LEARNED HUGO GROTIUS***

E-text prepared by Frank van Drogen, Lisa Reigel, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

THE

LIFE

Of the truly EMINENT and LEARNED

HUGO GROTIUS,

CONTAINING

A Copious and Circumstantial History of the several

Important and Honourable Negotiations

In which he was employed;

TOGETHER WITH

A Critical Account of his WORKS.

Written originally in French,

By M. DE BURIGNY.

LONDON

Printed for A. MILLAR, in the Strand; J. WHISTON and B. WHITE, at Mr. Boyle's Head; and L. DAVIS, at Lord Bacon's Head, both in Fleet-street.

M DCC LIV.

THE

AUTHOR'S

PREFACE.

_It were to be wished that such a celebrated Genius as_ Grotius _had found an Historian equal to his fame: for in this high rank we can by no means place those who have contented themselves with giving a superficial account of his Life, and a catalogue of his Works. M._ Lehman, _to whom we owe_ Grotius's Ghost revenged, _is much fuller than any that went before him; yet he is far from having taken in all that deserves to be known of that illustrious writer, the two most interesting Distinctions of whose Life have been entirely neglected by all who have spoken of him; I mean his Negotiations, and his sentiments in matters of Religion._

Gaspar Brandt _and_ Adrian Cattenburg _have indeed published a long Life of_ Grotius; _but the_ Dutch _language, in which they wrote, is so little known, that their book cannot be of general use; with a view to which we have made choice of a more universal language, to communicate farther light concerning this excellent man, whom every one speaks of, tho' few with any certainty._

_His being one of the most learned Authors that ever wrote, was not our sole motive for compiling his Life: for if we consider him only in that light, and with regard to the excellent treatises with which he has enriched the Republic of Letters, perhaps others may be found to compare with him. But his Life was so diversified, and filled with so many revolutions, that what regards literature is not the most curious part of it; greatly differing, in this respect, from the generality of men of letters, whole Lives are only the histories of their works. Besides_, Grotius's _prudence on all occasions, his modesty in prosperity, his patience in adversity, his steadiness in his duty, his love of virtue, his eagerness in the search of truth, and the ardent desire which he constantly maintained for uniting Christians in one Faith, distinguish him so advantageously from most other Scholars, that his Life may be proposed as a model to all who make profession of literature._

_It is divided into six Books. The first presents us with the brightest genius ever recorded, of a Youth, in the history of the republic of letters. The second contains all that is worth being known of the disputes between the_ Gomarists _and_ Arminians; _the part_ Grotius _took in them; his disgrace, and the manner of his escape out of prison. The third relates his transactions at_ Paris, _and his retreat to_ Hamburg, _where he continued till the great Chancellor_ Oxensteirn _sent for him, to employ him in the important and honourable post of Ambassador from_ Sweden _to the Court of_ France. _The fourth and fifth Books give a detail of his Negotiations; which have never yet been published. We have been accustomed to consider_ Grotius _only as a Scholar; his embassy is known but by report: we shall see, however, that he was employed in affairs of the greatest importance; that he succeeded in several; that he gave excellent counsels to the ministry; and that he always conducted himself with zeal, firmness, and integrity._

_The sixth and last Book gives an account of such of his Works as we had not occasion to mention before; and examines particularly his theological sentiments, and his project for a coalition of Christians, and bringing them to unite in one creed._

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The Abbé RAYNAL[1], a judicious French writer, gives the following character of this work.

"M. de BURIGNY hath executed his Plan with abundance of erudition, and an astonishing depth of enquiry. He has introduced nothing but facts well supported, or theological discussions delivered with the greatest conciseness and accuracy. Such readers as aim at amusement only, will think the author too minute in some places; those who are desirous of information will think otherwise. The most valuable part of this work