Solomon, a Swiss painter and miscellaneous writer of considerable note, was born at Zurich in 1730. His early life gave no indication of the talents which afterwards made him famous. A residence in a romantic part of his native country awakened in him a love of poetry; and a volume of *Idyllen*, which both had and deserved success, encouraged him to fresh literary effort. His next attempt, the *Death of Abel*, was still happier and more successful than his Idylls. The story is based upon the narrative in the book of Genesis, and reflects the spirit of the Bible with wonderful closeness. The principal charm of the work, however, lies in its touchingly simple and pathetic descriptions of patriarchal manners. Some of the female characters are portrayed with beautiful truth and delicacy. The male characters, however, are deficient in force and individuality; and the descriptions of nature, though often very fine, are too numerous, and bear too great a likeness to each other. His pathetic scenes are sometimes spun out to a tiresome length, and the speeches of his *dramatis personae* are often too detailed and languid to please any but a German reader. Gessner's other poem of the *First Navigator* is characterized by the same excellences and defects. All these pieces were speedily translated into the principal modern tongues, and their author became an especial favourite in France. Though often invited to exchange Switzerland for that country he steadily refused, and spent the remainder of his life in the energetic and successful pursuit of his business as a bookseller. His leisure hours were devoted to his favourite arts of painting and engraving, in both of which he attained very considerable eminence; and his house was the rendezvous of the leading artists and literary men of his native town. After his death, which happened in 1788, his fellow-citizens erected a handsome monument with a bust in his honour in one of the finest promenades in Zurich, at the confluence of the Lint and Limmat. There have been numerous editions of Gessner's works both in French and German.