STEPHANUS, Henry, the eldest brother, was born at Paris in 1528. He became the most learned and most celebrated of all his family. From a very early age he gave proofs of uncommon abilities, and displayed an ardent passion for knowledge. The Medea of Euripides, which he saw acted while at school, first kindled his love for poetry, and inspired him with the desire of acquiring the language in which that tragedy is written. He entreated his father not to condemn him to study Latin, which he already understood from conversation, but to initiate him
at once in the knowledge of Greek. His father willingly acceded to his request; and Henry applied with such vigour, that in a short time he could repeat the Medea by heart. He afterwards studied Greek under Danesius, who was tutor to the Dauphin, and finally heard the lectures of Tusanus and Turnebus. At an early age he became eager to understand astrology, and accordingly attended a professor of that mysterious art; but he was not long in discovering its absurdity. At the age of nineteen he began his travels, which he undertook in order to examine foreign libraries, and to become acquainted with learned men. He spent two years in Italy, and returned into France completely master of Italian, and bringing along with him copies of several scarce authors, particularly a part of Anacreon, which previously was supposed to be lost. He found his father publishing an edition of the New Testament, to which he prefixed some Greek verses. Soon after he visited England and the Netherlands, where he met with John Clement, an Englishman, to whom he was indebted for the remaining odes of Anacreon. During this journey he learned the Spanish language, which was very much spoken at that time in the Low Countries.
Whether Henry accompanied his father to Geneva, is uncertain: if he did, he must have returned immediately to France, for we find him soon after established at Paris, and publishing the odes of Anacreon. In 1554 he went to Rome, and thence to Naples. This journey was undertaken at the request, and in the service, of the French government. He was discovered, and would have been arrested as a spy, had he not by his address and skill in the language of the country been able to pass himself off for a native of Italy. On his return to France he assumed the title of printer to Ulric Fugger, a very rich and learned German merchant, who allowed him a considerable pension.
In 1560 he married a relation, as is generally supposed, of Henry Scrimger, a Scottish scholar and civilian, with whom he was intimately acquainted. His wife was a woman, as he himself informs us, endowed with the noblest spirit and the most amiable disposition. Her death, which happened in 1586, brought on a disease that had twice attacked him before. It was a disgust at all those pursuits which had formerly charmed him, an aversion to reading and the sight of books. It was probably occasioned by too constant and severe an application to literary pursuits. In 1572 he published, in four vols. folio, his Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, one of the greatest works, perhaps, that ever was executed by one man, if we consider the wretched materials which most ancient dictionaries could furnish, the size and perfection of the work, and the immense labour and learning which must have been employed in the compilation. In 1573, he added Glossaria duo, e situ retus-tatis eruta. This work had been carried on at a greater expense than he could well bear. He expected to be reimbursed by the sale of the book, but he was unfortunately disappointed. Scapula, one of his own correctors, extracted from it whatever he thought would be most serviceable to students, and published it beforehand in quarto. By this act of treachery Henry was reduced to poverty.
About this time he was much beloved by Henry III. of France, who treated him so kindly, and made him such flattering promises, that he resided frequently at court. But these promises were never fulfilled, owing to the civil wars which soon after distracted France, and the unfortunate death of Henry himself. During the remainder of his life, his situation was very unsettled. We find him sometimes at Paris, sometimes at Geneva, in Germany, and even in Hungary. He died at Lyon in 1598, at the age of seventy. His temper during the latter part of his life is represented as haughty and severe, owing probably
Stephanus, to his disappointments. He was twice married, and by his first wife had a son and two daughters, one of whom was married to the learned Isaac Casaubon.
Paul Stephen. This most erudite printer was fond of poetry from his very infancy. It was his practice to compose verses on horseback, and even to write them, though he generally rode a very mettlesome steed. His Thesaurus was his great work, but he was also the author of many other treatises in the French and Latin languages. His poems are numerous. His Apologie pour Herodote is a very singular performance. It has been illustrated by the annotations of Duchat. The number of books which he published, though fewer than his father, was great, and they were superior in elegance to anything which the world had then seen. A great proportion of them were Greek. He was the editor, however, of many Latin and even of some oriental writings. His Greek classics are remarkably correct; and many of his editions are accompanied by most learned notes. His Thesaurus still maintains its reputation. An edition, with very ample editions, was recently published by Barker and Valpy; and another elaborate edition has been published at Paris.