HOFFMANN, John James, a celebrated philologist, was born at Basil in 1635. His father, who was professor of law in the academy of that city, inspired him betimes with a taste for application, and directed his early studies. Young Hoffmann went through his courses of philosophy and theology with distinction, and was ordained to the holy ministry. But as the delicacy of his health did not admit of his pursuing that career, he applied himself to teaching; and after having, for several years, given private instructions, he was, in 1667, appointed to the chair of Greek in the academy, whence he was, in 1683, translated to that of history, the duties of which he discharged with indefatigable zeal until his death, which occurred in 1706, without his having ever quitted his native country. The best known of all his works is the Lexico Universale, HistoricoGeographico Chronologico Poetico Philologicum, Basil, 1677, in two volumes folio, with a Supplement, also in two volumes, 1683. The work at first met with indifferent success. This dictionary is constructed upon a very extensive plan; but all the parts leave much to be desired. The articles on ancient geography are considered as the best; those on history are superficial and inaccurate. The title of the book announces various synonymes of geographical names derived from twenty different languages; but the execution does not come up to the announcement. The author omits no opportunity to declaim against the Catholic religion and against France. The other works of Hoffmann are, 1. Numerous Theses on subjects of little or no interest; 2. A Collection of Poems, Poemata, Basil, 1684, in 12mo; 3. Epitome metrica Historiae Universalis civilis et sacrae ab orbe condito, ibid. 1686, in 12mo; 4. Historia Paparum, 1687, in two vols. 12mo; 5. Two Memoirs on the Miscellanea Berolinensia. (a.) Hoffmann, Frederick, a celebrated physician of the university of Halle in Saxony, was born in that city in 1660. He received his early education in his native town, and made great progress in the mathematics, which his parents had caused him to study, and to which he ascribed advances in the study of medicine. At the age of fifteen he lost both his father and his mother during the prevalence[7:11:503] of an epidemical distemper. In 1680, he established himself at Erfurt, there to study chemistry under Gaspar Cramer, and the following year he received the degree of doctor of physic at Iena. In 1682, he published an Essay De Cinnabari Antimonii, which was reprinted at Leyden in 1685, 12mo, and laid the foundation of his reputation as an able chemist, which he afterwards increased by professing chemistry in the schools of Iena. It is to him we are indebted for the preparation known by the name of the Anodyne Liquor of Hoffmann, which is considered as one of the best sedatives. Frederick III. elector of Brandenburg, having founded the university of Halle in 1693, Hoffmann was appointed primarius professor, and alone prepared the statutes of the faculty of medicine. His fame soon spread throughout all Germany, and thence into foreign parts; and several learned bodies, including the academies of Berlin and Petersburg, and the Royal Society of London, enrolled him among their members. During his residence at Halle he divided his time between instruction, practice, and study; but more than once he interrupted his pursuits by visits to the different courts of Germany, where his professional successes procured him honours, titles, and rewards. He was solicited by the king of Prussia to fix his residence at Berlin; but he preferred remaining in his native country, where he died on the 12th of November 1742. At the age of sixty Hoffmann undertook his great work entitled Medicina Rationalis Systematica, Halle, 1730, in nine vols. 4to, of which Bruhier d’Ablain-court has given a translation under the title of Médecine Raisonnée d ’ Hoff mann, 1739, in nine vols. 12mo. The same physician has also translated from the Latin of Hoffmann, a Treatise on Fevers, Paris, 1746, in three vols. 12mo; the Politics of Medicine, ibid. 1751, in 12mo; and Observations on the Cure of Gout and Rheumatism. A complete edition of his works has been published, with a life of the author, under the title of Hoffrnanni Opera omnia Medicophysica cum Supplementis, Geneva, 1740, 1755, eleven parts, in folio. The writings of Hoffmann contain a great mass of practical matter of considerable value, partly compiled from preceding writers, and partly the result of his own observation; but they are also deformed by trifling remarks, hypothetical conjectures, and frequent prolixity and repetition in the details. As a theorist, his suggestions proved of great importance, and contributed to introduce that revolution in the science of medicine which subsequent observation has extended and confirmed. Mis doctrine of atony and spasm in the living solid, according to which all internal disorders were referred to some preternatural affection of the nervous system, rather than to the morbid derangements of the fluids, first turned the attention of physicians from the mere mechanical and chemical operations of the body, to those of the primary moving powers of the living system. Hoffmann pursued with considerable ardour the study of practical chemistry, and improved the department of pharmacy by the addition of some mineral preparations. But, upon the whole, his practice was cautious, especially in his latter years; and he trusted much to vegetable simples. “I affirm solemnly,” said he, “that though in my youth I ran much after chemical remedies, yet, in my age, I became convinced that very few remedies, well selected, and derived from substances in appearance the most worthless, afford more prompt and efficacious relief to the sick than the rarest and most elaborate chemical preparations.” (a.)