the fourth of the greater prophets, was born in Judea, of the tribe of Judah, about the 25th year of the reign of Josiah. He was led captive to Babylon, with other young Hebrew lords, after the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, who took them into his service. That prince gave them masters to instruct them in the language and sciences of the Chaldeans, and ordered them to be fed with the most delicate viands; but they, fearing that they should eat meat forbidden by the law of Moses, defied the king's officers to allow them only pulse. The wisdom and conduct of Daniel pleasing Nebuchadnezzar, that prince gave him several posts of honour. It is commonly believed, that this prophet, when but 12 years of age, made known the innocence of the chaste Suanannah: but the learned are not agreed, that the young Daniel, who confounded the old men, was the same with this prophet. However, he explained Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the mysterious statue, which foretold the four great monarchies; on which account he was made prefect of the province of Babylon. In the reign of Darius, the king of the Medes, he refused to adore the golden statue of the king, and was cast into the lions den, when those beasts, though pinched with hunger, did him no manner of hurt. And he explained the characters written on the wall of the room where Belshazzar was feasting.

It is believed that Daniel died in Chaldea, and that he did not take advantage of the permission granted by Cyrus to the Jews of returning to their own country, St Epiphanius says he died at Babylon; and herein he is followed by the generality of historians.

The prophecies of Daniel concerning the coming of the Messiah, and the other great events of after-times, are so clear and explicit, that, as St Jerome tells us, Porphyry objected to them, that those which related to the kings of Syria and Egypt, chap. xi. must have been written after the time of Antiochus Epiphanes; whereas his prophecy was translated into Greek 100 years before his time, and the translation was in the hands of the Egyptians, who had no great kindnels for the Jews and their religion. And those prophecies foretelling the success of Alexander, chap. viii. 5. xi. 3. were shown to Alexander by the Jews, in consequence of which they obtained several privileges from him; (Ant. lib. xi. c. 8.). The style of Daniel is not lofty and figurative as that of the other prophets; it is clear and concise, and his narrations and descriptions simple and natural: in short, he writes more like a historian than a prophet.

The Jews do not reckon Daniel among the prophets; part of his book, that is, from the fourth verse of his second chapter to the end of the seventh chapter, was originally written in the Chaldee language; the reason of which was, that in that part he treats of the Chaldean or Babylonish affairs: all the rest of the books in Hebrew. The first six chapters of the book of Daniel are a history of the kings of Babylon, and what befel the Jews under their government. In the last six he is altogether prophetical, foretelling not Daniel, only what should happen to his own church and nation, but events in which foreign princes and kingdoms were concerned.

Samuel, an eminent poet and historian, was born near Taunton in Somersetshire in the year 1562, and educated at Oxford; but leaving that university without a degree, he applied himself to English history and poetry under the patronage of the earl of Pembroke's family. He was afterwards tutor to the lady Anne Clifford; and, upon the death of Spenser, was created poet-laureat to Queen Elizabeth. In King James's reign he was appointed gentleman extraordinary, and afterwards one of the grooms of the privy-chamber to the queen consort, who took great delight in his conversation and writings. He wrote a history of England, several dramatic pieces, and some poems; and died in 1619.

Gabriel, a celebrated Jesuit, and one of the best French historians, was born at Rouen in 1649. He taught polite literature, philosophy, and divinity, among the Jesuits; and was superior of their house at Paris, where he died in 1728. There are a great number of his works published in French, of which the principal are, 1. A History of France, of which he also wrote an abridgment in nine volumes, 12mo. 2. A History of the French Militia, in two vols. 4to. 3. An answer to the Provincial Letters. 4. A Voyage to the World of Descartes. 5. Letters on the doctrines of the Theorists, and on Probability. 6. New difficulties relating to the knowledge of Brutes: And, 7. A Theological treatise on the Efficacy of Grace.