ADAM, Melchior, lived in the 17th century. He was born in the territory of Grotkaw in Silesia, and educated in the college of Brieg, where the dukes of that name, to the utmost of their power, encouraged learning and the reformed religion as professed by Calvin. Here he became a firm Protestant; and was enabled to pursue his studies by the liberality of a person of quality, who had left several exhibitions for young students. He was appointed rector of a college at Heidelberg, where he published his first volume of illustrious men in the year 1615. This volume, which consisted of philosophers, poets, writers on polite literature, and historians, &c. was followed by three others: that which treated of divines was printed in 1619; that of the lawyers came next; and, finally, that of the physicians: the two last were published in 1620. All the learned men, whose lives are contained in these four volumes, lived in the 16th, or beginning of the 17th century, and are either Germans or Flemings; but he published in 1618 the lives of twenty divines of other countries in a separate volume. All his divines are Protestants. The Lutherans were not pleased with him, for they thought him partial; and will not allow his work to be a proper standard of the learning of Germany. He was the author of several other works besides his lives. His industry as a biographer is commended by Bayle, who acknowledges his obligations to his labours. He died in 1622.