OROBIQ, Don Balthasar, a celebrated Hebrew of Spain. He was carefully educated in Judaism by his parents, who were Jews, though they outwardly professed themselves Catholics; abstaining from the practice of their religion in every thing, except only the fast of expiation, in the month Tisis or September. Orobio studied the scholastic philosophy as taught in Spain, and became so skilled in it that he was appointed professor of metaphysics in the university of Salamanca. Afterwards, however, having applied himself to the study of physic, he practised with success that art at Seville, till, being accused of Judaism, he was thrown into the prison of the Inquisition, and suffered the most dreadful cruelties, in order to extort a confession. He tells us himself that he was put into a dark dungeon, so narrow that he could scarcely turn round in it; and he suffered so many hardships that his brain began to be disturbed. He talked to himself often in this way: “Am I indeed that Don Balthasar Orobio, who walked freely about in Seville, who was entirely at ease, and who had the blessings of a wife and children ?” Sometimes he supposed that his past life had been but a dream, that the dungeon where he then lay was his true birthplace, and that it would to all appearance prove also the place of his death. At other times, as he had a very metaphysical head, he first formed arguments, and then resolved them; thus at once performing the different parts of opponent, respondent, and moderator. In this whimsical way he amused himself from time to time, and constantly denied that he was a Jew. After having appeared twice or thrice before the Inquisitors, his treatment was varied. At the bottom of a subterranean vault, lighted by two or three small torches, he was brought before two persons, one of them judge of the Inquisition, and the other secretary, who, having asked him whether he would confess the truth, protested, that in case of a criminal denial, the Holy Office would not be deemed the cause of his death, if he should expire under the torments, but that it must be imputed entirely to his own obstinacy. The executioner then stripped off his clothes, tied his feet and hands with a strong cord, and set him upon a little stool, whilst he passed the cord through some iron buckles which were fixed in the wall; after which, the stool having been drawn away, he remained hanging by the cord, which the executioner still drew tighter and tighter, to make him confess, till a surgeon assured the court of examiners that he could not possibly bear more without expiring. These cords put him to exquisite torture, by cutting into the flesh, and making the blood burst from under his nails. As there was certainly danger that the cords would tear off' his flesh, care was taken to gird him about the breast with bands, which, however, were drawn so very tight that he would have run the risk of being suffocated, if he had not held in his breath whilst the executioner put the bands round him; by which device his lungs had room enough to perform their functions. In the agony of his sufferings, he was told that this was but the beginning of his torments, and that he would better confess before they proceeded to extremities. Orobio added further, that in order to frighten him, the executioner, placing himself on a small ladder, frequently let it fall against the shin-bones of his legs, and the staves being sharp, created exquisite pain. At last, after a confinement of three years, the Inquisitors, finding themselves baffled by his perseverance in denying his religion, ordered his w ounds to be cured, and discharged him. As soon as he had obtained his liberty, he resolved to quit the I Spanish dominions; and, proceeding to France, he was 1 made professor of physic at Toulouse. The theses which be prepared as candidate for this place treated of putrefaction; and he maintained them with a metaphysical subtlety which embarrassed all his competitors. He resided for some time in this city, still outwardly professing the Catholic religion; but at last, weary of dissembling, he repaired to Amsterdam, where he was circumcised, took the name of Isaac, and professed Judaism, still continuing, however, to practise physic, in which he was much esteemed. Upon the publication of Spinoza’s work, he began to despise a system the falsehood of which he quickly discovered; and when Bredenburg’s answer to it came to his hands, Orobio, being persuaded that the writer, in refuting Spinoza, had also admitted some principles which tended to atheism, took up his pen against both, and published a piece entitled Certamen Philosophicum. But the dispute in which he engaged with the celebrated Philip Limborch against the Christian religion made the greatest noise. In this he exerted the utmost force of his metaphysical genius, and conducted himself with great temper. The three papers which he wrote on the occasion were afterwards printed by his antagonist, in an account which he published of the controversy, under the title of Amica Collatio cum Judaeo. Orobio died in the year 1687.