(Magnus), a Dominican friar, and afterwards bishop of Ratisbon, was one of the most learned men and most famous doctors of the 13th century. He is said to have acted as a man-midwife; and some have been highly offended that one of his profession should follow such an employment. A book intitled De Natura Rerum, of which he was reputed the author, gave rise to this report. In this treatise there are several instructions for midwives, and so much skill shown in their art, that one would think the author could not have arrived at it without having himself practised; but the advocates for Albert say he was not the writer thereof, nor of that other piece De Secretis Mulierum; in which there are many phrases and expressions unavoidable on such a subject, which gave great offence, and raised a clamour against the supposed author. It must be acknowledged, however, that there are, in his Comment upon the Matter of Sentences, some questions concerning the practice of conjugal duty, in which he has used some words rather too gross for chaste and delicate ears; but they allege what he himself used to say in his own vindication, that he came to the knowledge of so many monstrous things at confession, that it was impossible to avoid touching upon such questions. Albert was certainly a man of a most curious and inquisitive turn of mind, which gave rise to other accusations brought against him. They say, that he laboured to find out the philosopher's stone; that he was a magician; and that he made a machine in the shape of a man, which was an oracle to him, and explained all the difficulties he proposed. He had great knowledge in the mathematics, and by his skill in that science might probably have formed a head with springs capable of articulate sounds; like to the machines of Boetius, of which Caffiodorus has said, "Metals lowe; the birds of Diomedes' trumpet in bras; the brazen serpent hisses; counterfeited swallows chatter, and such as haveno proper note, from bras send forth harmonious music." John Matthaeus de Luna, in his treatise De Rerum Inventoribus, has attributed the invention of fire-arms to Albert; but in this he is confuted by Naude, in his Apologie des Grands Hommes. We are told, that Albert was naturally very dull, and so incapable of instruction, as to be upon the point of quitting the cloister, from despair of learning what his habit required; but that the Holy Virgin appeared to him, and asked him in which he chose to excel, philosophy or divinity? that having chosen the former, she assured him he should become incomparable therein; but that, as a punishment for not preferring divinity, he should sink, before he died, into his former stupidity. It is added, that after this apparition he had an infinite deal of wit; and that he advanced in all the sciences with so quick a progress, as utterly astonished his masters; but that, three years before his death, he flopped short when reading a divinity-lecture at Cologne; and having in vain endeavoured to recall his ideas, he found that the Virgin's prediction was accomplished. "It would be very unnecessary (says Bayle, after relating these particulars) to observe that they are fables. Those who would believe me need not be told this, since they would judge in the same manner of their own accord; and as for such as think otherwise, they would not alter their opinion by reading here that I am of a different way of thinking." Albert died at Cologne, November 15, 1280. His works were printed at Lyons, in 1651, in 21 volumes in folio.

a gold coin, worth about 14 French livres; it was coined during the administration of Albertus archduke of Austria.