THOMAS, a learned oriental historian, the son of the head master of Christ's Hospital school in Hertford, was born at that town about 1753. By his father's death he was left at an early age to the care and tuition of Dr Parr, then master of an academy at Stanmore. In his nineteenth year he repaired to Oxford, and was enrolled at St John's College, but subsequently removed to University College. There he produced a metrical version of Oedipus Tyrannus, and several original poems; and began to cultivate, under his tutor, Lord Stowell, that taste for historical research which afterwards led him into notice. After graduating as B.A. he was appointed curate of Woodford in Essex, a charge which he resigned in 1785 for a smaller pastorate at Epping. His Indian Antiquities began to appear in 1791, and was completed in 7 volumes in 1797. The History of Hindustan, his other great work which he had commenced to publish in 1795, was finished in 3 volumes in 1799. Meanwhile, Earl Spencer had appointed him in 1798 to the vicarage of Wormleighton in Warwickshire. In 1799 Maurice was installed assistant librarian to the British Museum; and in the following year he received the pension left vacant by the death of Cowper. The 2 volumes of his Modern History of India appeared in 1802 and 1804 respectively. In this latter year he was presented by the Lord Chancellor to the vicarage of Cadham in Kent. A second edition of his History of Hindustan appeared in 1821. He died in March 1824.

MAURICE OF Nassau, the son of William I, Prince of Orange, was born in 1567, was elected stadtholder of the United Provinces in 1584, succeeded his brother as Prince of Orange in 1618, and died in 1625. (See Holland.)