OCKLEY, SIMON, an eminent orientalist, and professor of Arabic in Cambridge, was born at Exeter in 1678. He was educated at Cambridge, and distinguished himself by uncommon skill in the Oriental languages. Having taken a degree in divinity, he was presented by Jesus College with the vicarage of Swasey in 1705, and in 1711 was chosen Arabic professor of the university. He had a large family, and his latter days were rendered unhappy by pecuniary embarrassments. He died in 1720. His principal works are, 1. Introductio ad linguas Orientales, a small volume. 2. The History of the present Jews throughout the world, from the Italian of Leo Modena. 3. The Improvement of Human Reason, from the Arabic. 4. The History of the Saracens, in 2 vols. 8vo. This last work is justly valued for its accuracy and erudition, and has been highly commended by Samuel Johnson. A great part of his materials were drawn from Arabic manuscripts in the Bodleian library at Oxford.