JOHANN JAKOB GOTTFRIED, a celebrated Greek scholar of Germany, was born at Leipzig, November 28, 1772. He studied law and philosophy at Leipzig and Jena. In 1794, he begun his course of lectures on ancient literature in Leipzig, was made professor of eloquence in 1798, and of poetry in 1809. He died in 1848.

Though destined for the study of law, yet, under Professors Ilgen, Beck, and Ernesti, he acquired the predilection for classic literature which afterwards rendered him famous. He set himself to revise thoroughly the classic metres and the Greek grammar. In the prosecution of Hermann—this task he published a great many editions of classic authors. The principles which he entertained regarding the classic metres, were published in his work *De metris poetarum Graecorum et Romanorum* in 1796; and in his *Handbuch der Metrik* in 1799. These were drawn up in a more complete form in his *Elementa doctrinae metricae* in 1816, of which his *Epitome*, &c., appeared in 1818.

He extended his literary reform to the study of the Greek grammar and his work *De eneundis ratione Graecae grammaticae*, was published in 1801. As this treated of accentuation and the analysis of letters, Hermann gave his views on syntax in the shape of notes, and extensive additions to Vigier's work *De praecipuis Graecae dictiones idiotismis*. He has been accused of viewing the ancient classics too exclusively from the stand-points of grammar and criticism; still his views, both medical and grammatical, have been extensively adopted throughout Europe.

His editions of the classics are:—*Eschylus and Euripides*, complete with Latin notes, 1798. The *Eusemiaca* of *Eschylus* and *Clouds* of *Aristophanes*, with their selection, commentary, and scholia, 1799. *Heracles* of *Euripides* with the notes of Porson and Wakefield as well as his own; and the *Tragediae* of *Plautus*, in 1800. The *Poetics* of Aristotle, with Latin translation, explanation, and disquisitions, in 1802. The *Hymns* of Orpheus in 1805, and those ascribed to Homer in 1816. The *Heracles Furens* of *Euripides*, 1810. The *Suppliants* of *Euripides* in 1811. The *Medea* of *Euripides*, 1822. The *Alecsis* of *Euripides* in 1823. The unfinished edition of *Sophocles* by Erfurti, was completed by Hermann in 7 vols. in 1825. The *Ion* of *Euripides* in 1827. The *Oeconomic* of Hermann, begun in 1827, is a collection in 6 vols., of literary and scientific articles from German publications.