Simon, an eminent orientalist, and professor of Arabic in Cambridge, was born at Exeter in 1678. He was educated at Cambridge, and distinguished himself by uncommon skill in the oriental languages. Having taken a degree in divinity, he was, in 1705, presented by Jesus College with the vicarage of Swavesey, and in 1711 he was chosen Arabic professor of the university. He had a large family, and his latter days were rendered unhappy by pecuniary embarrassments. He died in the year 1720. The principal works of Ockley are, Introductio ad Lingua Orientales, 1706; The History of the Jews throughout the World, from the Italian of Leo of Modena, 1707; The Improvement of Human Reason, from the Arabic, 1708; The History of the Saracens, in 2 vols. 8vo., 1708-18. This last work was compiled from Arabic manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and is justly valued for its accuracy and erudition.