CLAUDIUS, the Latinized form of Claude de Saumaise, a very learned man of the sixteenth century, was born of a noble family at Séurm in Auxois, on the 15th of April 1588. He received his early education in Latin and Greek from his father, who had himself translated the work of Dionysius of Alexandria into French verse, Paris, 1597. At the age of ten he is reported by his ancient eulogist, Antoine Clement, to have been able to read Plutarch with fluency and correctness. At the age of sixteen he sought Paris, to complete his studies, where he became acquainted with the celebrated Casaubon, through whose influence, it is said, he was led to embrace Protestantism. Young Saumaise now sought Heidelberg, and was favoured with an introduction from his friend Casaubon to the great jurist Denis Godefroy. He prosecuted his studies with uncommon diligence during his stay in Germany, and was exposed to a severe illness from over-exertion. For a considerable time he had been accustomed to devote every third night entirely to study. He published in 1608 his first work, consisting of two books of Nilus, Bishop of Thessalonica, and that of a monk Barlaam, both on the supremacy of the Pope, enriched with corrections and notes. Next year he dedicated to the eminent Latin scholar Gruter an edition of Florus. Shortly after his return to France he published, in opposition to Servius, De Suburbicariis Regionibus et Ecclesiis; in 1620 his Historiae Augustae Scriptores Sex appeared; and two years afterward he published his edition of Tertullian's work De Pallio. In 1623 Salmasius married, and was engaged for many years in the neighbourhood of Paris on his great work, which first appeared in 1629, in 2 vols., under the title of Pliniiane Exercitationes in Caui Julii Solmi Polyhistor. This was a work of astonishing erudition, but written in a rambling, confused style. It possessed all the blemishes and all the excellences of his previous writings. It exhibited great carelessness as to the correct statement of facts, and displayed much arrogance and pretension. The publication of this work raised his reputation to its highest pitch; and he received the solicitations of various European princes to settle in their dominions. He finally retired to Leyden in 1632 to an honorary professorship. Salmasius had numerous tempting offers from Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin to return to France; but he continued to reside in Leyden till 1650, when he visited Queen Christina of Sweden, who is reported to have written "she could not be happy without him." The climate of this northern kingdom not agreeing with him, Salmasius returned to Holland, to comply with the request of Charles II. of England to write a defence of his father and of monarchy. Salmasius accordingly published his *Defensio Regio Caroli I.* in 1649, but had not calculated on so powerful a hand as John Milton's being raised against him. The *Defensio pro Populo Anglicano* entirely eclipsed Salmasius in passionate logic, vehement rhetoric, and profound scholarship; and the unfortunate Frenchman, pampered by kings and fondled by princes, is said to have taken this withering exposure so much to heart that it cost him his life. He died in September 1653, while engaged on a reply to Milton.

In addition to the works already mentioned, Salmasius wrote and edited the following works:—*Note in Perigylum Veneris*, Ley. 1638; *De Usuris*, Ley. 1639; *De Modo Usurarum*, Ley. 1639; *Dissertatio de Fenore Trapezoidi*, Ley. 1640; *Commentarius in Simpliciti Enchiridion Epicteti*, Ley. 1640; *Interpretatio Hippocrati Aphorismi de Calculo*, Ley. 1640; *De Hellenisca Commentarius Controversiam de Lingua Hellenistica Decident*, Ley. 1645; *Observationes in Jus Atticum et Romanum*, Ley. 1645. Antoine Clement prefixed a Life of Salmasius to his Letters, which were published at Leyden in 1656.

**SALMON FISHERY.** See FISHERY.