JOHANN JACOB, a profound scholar and eminent critic, was born in the year 1716 at a small town in the duchy of Anhalt in Germany. His parents occupied a humble situation in life; and in consequence of the narrow circumstances in which he was placed, he had many difficulties to struggle with during the early part of his career. These, however, he surmounted by unabating perseverance; and in 1733 went to the university of Leipzig, where he remained during five years in the ardent pursuit of his studies. Here he acquired an extensive knowledge of the Arabic, and engaged in the translation of a book from that language, which was afterwards published. With the view of prosecuting to greater advantage the study of Arabic, which had become with him a passion, he travelled on foot to Leyden, where new difficulties attended him. Whilst he remained there he was employed in arranging the Arabic manuscripts belonging to the university; and for this labour he received a very small compensation. During his residence at Leyden part of his time was occupied in the translation of various essays from the German and French languages into Latin. These essays afterwards appeared in the Miscellanea Critica. About the same time also he translated into Latin the whole of the Chariton from the Greek, and the Geography of Abuelfeda from the Arabic. Having spent eight years at Leyden, Reiske was driven from this place by jealousy and calumny, which, it is said, were excited against him chiefly by the younger Burmann, in consequence of his critical strictures on the edition of Petronius published by that author; but before his departure from this learned seminary he had obtained the degree of Doctor of Physic, which was conferred in a manner highly to his honour. He afterwards visited different parts of Germany, and at last settled a second time at Leipzig, where he remained for twelve years. But although he had received the appointment of professor of Arabic, the emoluments of his office were so scanty that he had still to struggle with all the difficulties attendant on poverty, and, to procure a subsistence, was obliged to engage in humble employments of literary labour, and submit to the severe and ill-requited drudgery of editing works for booksellers, or contributing detached papers to periodical publications. About this time the Acta Eruditorum were greatly indebted to the labours of Reiske. But in the midst of all the difficulties and hardships now alluded to he prepared and published a work of profound learning and great merit. This work, which extended to five volumes, appeared under the title of Animadversiones in Auctores Graecos, and added much to our author's reputation. In the year 1758, in consequence of the death of Haltanus, he obtained a situation which was not only honourable, but lucrative. This was the place of rector of the college of St Nicholas in Leipzig, in which he continued during the remainder of his life. He was now raised above want, and being free from the difficulties and embarrassments which had hitherto constantly attended him, he was thus enabled, in the midst of learned ease, to prosecute his favourite studies.

In the year 1764 Reiske married Ernestine Christine Müller, a woman of great learning, and of whom it is said that her knowledge, especially in Greek literature, was little inferior to that of her husband. In all his literary labours she was a useful associate; but the assistance which she contributed to his great work, the edition of the Greek orators, was particularly valuable. He died in 1774, possessing a very distinguished reputation as a scholar and critic. The number of works which he superintended and published was very great. A complete list of them is given in the continuation of his memoirs by his wife, published at Leipzig in 1783.