SCRIBONIUS

SCRIBONIUS, LARGUS, an ancient physician in the reign of Augustus or Tiberius, was the author of

several works; the best edition of which is that of Scribonius, John Rhodius.

SCRIMZEOR or SCRIMGEOUR, Henry, an eminent restorer of learning, was born at Dundee in the year 1506. He traced his descent from the ancient family of the Scrimzeours of Didupe or Dudhope, who obtained the office of hereditary standard-bearers to the kings of Scotland in 1057.

At the grammar-school of Dundee our author acquired the Greek and Latin languages to an uncommon degree of perfection, and that in a shorter time than many scholars before him. At the university of St. Andrew's, his successful application to philosophy gained him great applause. The next scene of his studies was the university of Paris, and their more particular object the civil law. Two of the most famous civilians of that age, Eguinard Baron and Francis Duaren, (A) were then giving their lectures to crowded circles at Bourges. The fame of these professors occasioned his removal from Paris; and for a considerable time he prosecuted his studies under their direction.

At Bourges he had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the celebrated James Amiot, Greek professor in that city, well known in the learned world by his translation of Plutarch's Lives, and distinguished afterwards by his advancement to great honours in the church, and finally to the rank of cardinal.

Through the recommendation of this eminent person, Mr. Scrimzeor engaged in the education of two young gentlemen of the name of Bucherel, whom he instructed in the belles lettres, and other branches of literature, calculated to accomplish them for their station in life.

This connexion introduced him to Bernard Bornelet bishop of Rennes, a person famed in the political world for having served the state in many honourable embassies. Accepting an invitation from this prelate to accompany him to Italy, Mr. Scrimzeor greatly enlarged the sphere of his literary acquaintance, by his conversation and connexion with most of the distinguished scholars of that country. The death of Francis Spira (B) happened during his visit to Padua; and as the character and conduct of this remarkable person at that time engaged

Scrimzeor. engaged the attention of the world, Mr Scrimzeor is said to have collected memoirs of him in a publication entitled, "The Life of Francis Spira, by Henry of Scotland." This performance, however, does not appear in the catalogue of his works.

After he had stored his mind with the literature of foreign countries, and satisfied his curiosity as a traveller, it was his intention to have revisited Scotland. He might without vanity have entertained hopes, that the various knowledge which he had treasured up would have won him a partial reception among his countrymen. An ambition of being usefully distinguished among them as a man of letters, is justly supposed the principal motive of his desire to return: but the most sanguine projects of life are often strangely diverted by accident, or rather perhaps are invisibly turned by Providence from their purposed course. Mr Scrimzeor, on his journey homewards, was to pass through Geneva. His fame had long forerun his footsteps. The syndics and other magistrates, on his arrival, requested him to set up the profession of philosophy in that city; promising a compensation suitable to the exertion of his talents. He accepted the proposal, and established the philosophical chair.

After he had taught for some time at Geneva, a fire broke out in his neighbourhood, by which his house was consumed, and himself reduced to great distress. His late pupils, the Bucherels, had not forgotten their obligations to him, and sent a considerable sum of money to his relief.

At this time flourished at Augsburg that famous mercantile family the Fuggers. Ulric Fugger was then its representative; a man possessed of prodigious wealth, passionately fond of literature, a great collector of books and manuscripts, and a munificent patron of learned men. Being informed, by means of his literary correspondence, of the misfortune which had befallen Mr Scrimzeor in the burning of his house, he immediately sent him a pressing invitation to accept an asylum beneath his roof till his affairs could be re-established. Mr Scrimzeor, gladly availing himself of such a hospitable kindness, lost no time in going to Germany.

Whilst residing at Augsburg with Mr Fugger, he was much employed in augmenting his patron's library, by vast collections purchased from every corner of Europe. Manuscripts of the Greek and Latin authors were then of inestimable value, and seem to have been more particularly the object of Mr Scrimzeor's researches.

He did not lead a life of yawning indolence amidst these treasures, and, like a mere unfeeling collector, leave them unenjoyed. As librarian, he was not contented to act the part of a black eunuch to his literary seraglio. He seems to have forgotten that he was not its Grand Sultan, and accordingly ranged at will among surrounding beauties. He composed many works of great learning and ingenuity, whilst he continued in a situation so peculiarly agreeable to the views and habits of a scholar.

When his manuscripts were ready for the press, he was desirous of returning to Geneva to print them. His patron, Fugger, recommended him for this purpose to the very learned Henry Stephens, one of his pensioners, and at that time one of the most celebrated printers in Europe.

VOL. XVIII. Part II.

Immediately on his arrival at Geneva, 1563, he was earnestly solicited by the magistrates to resume the chair of philosophy. Notwithstanding his compliance, and, in consequence of it, the dedication of much of his time to the study of physics, he, two years afterwards, instituted a course of lectures in the civil law, and had the honour of being its first founder and professor at Geneva.

As soon as he was settled again in this city, he hoped, amidst his other occupations, to prosecute the great object of his literary fame, the printing of his various works. But a suspicion which Henry Stephens entertained, that it was his intention to set up a rival press at Geneva, occasioned great dissensions between them. The result of the quarrel was, that the republic of letters, during Mr Scrimzeor's life, was deprived of his valuable productions. They fell most of them at his death into the hands of Isaac Casaubon, who has been accused of publishing considerable portions of them as his own.

Some account of Mr Scrimzeor's several performances will give an idea of his extensive erudition.

He wrote critical and explanatory notes upon Athenæus's Deipnosophists, or Table Conversations of Philosophers and Learned Men of Antiquity; having first collated several manuscripts of his author. This work Casaubon published at Leyden in 1600; but without distinguishing his own notes from those of Scrimzeor.

A Commentary and Emendations of the Geography of Strabo were among our author's literary remains. These were published in Casaubon's Parisian edition of Strabo, 1620. Henry Stephens, from an idea of justice due to Scrimzeor's literary fame, notwithstanding the violent animosity which had subsisted betwixt them, reproaches Casaubon for adopting our Scottish critic's lucubrations on Strabo without acknowledgment.—Dempster assures us, that Scrimzeor, in his manuscript letters, mentions his design of publishing this performance; whence, it is probable, that his work appeared to himself of considerable consequence, and had taken up much of his attention. Although Casaubon, in his ample notes exhibited at the foot of Strabo's text, makes no confession of having derived any thing from Scrimzeor, it must not be concealed, that in an epistle to Sir Peter Young, our critic's nephew, through whom the Commentary and Emendations of Strabo came into his hands, Casaubon acknowledges how very useful to him they might be made; for, speaking there of his intended edition of Strabo, he says, "It cannot be expressed how much assistance I may obtain from your notes of Scrimzeor."

Edward Harrison, a Scottish author, in his Commentary on Plutarch's Book concerning the Inconsistencies of the Stoics, informs us, that Scrimzeor collated different manuscripts of all the works of Plutarch. This undertaking appears sufficient to have occupied half the life of an ordinary critic. Every one knows how voluminous an author was the philosopher, the historian, and orator of Chæronea. Whether our learned critic had meant to publish an edition of Plutarch's works is not known; but such an intention seems highly probable from this laborious enterprise of collating them.

The 10 books of Diogenes Laertius on the Lives, Opinions, and Apophthegms of the Philosophers, were collated from various manuscripts by Scrimzeor. His