PERIZONIUS, James, one of the most learned philologists and most judicious critics whom Holland has produced, was born at Dam, in the province of Groningen, in the year 1651. His father, who was both pastor and rector of the school of that place, having, in 1664, been appointed professor of theology at Deven ter, young Perizonius there began his studies under Gisbert Cuper, and afterwards went to pursue them at Leyden under George Graevius. Under these two able masters, his progress was extremely rapid; and the death of his father, who intended him as his successor in the chair of theology, leaving him at liberty to follow the bent of his inclinations, he applied himself with fresh ardour to the study of the ancient languages and of history. In the year 1674, he resumed his academical courses, which the war had interrupted, and, when he had completed them, he was appointed rector of the gymnasium at Delft. In 1681, he removed to the academy of Franeker, as professor of eloquence and history, which he taught with such distinction and success, that the curators of the academy, desirous to attach him to the school the reputation of which he had so ably supported, made several additions to his salary. Nevertheless, in 1693, Perizonius accepted the chair of history, eloquence, and the Greek language, in the university of Leyden; and to these subjects he, in 1702, added prelections on the history of the united provinces of the Low Countries. The lustre of his talents shone daily brighter and brighter; and although he discharged with exemplary diligence and fidelity his duty towards his pupils, he every year published some new production calculated to extend his reputation as a philologist. But his assiduous and uninterrupted labours at length undermined his health, which was naturally delicate, and, after languishing for some time in a hopeless condition, he died at Leyden on the 6th of April 1715. Perizonius, though a man of an amiable and obliging disposition, was nevertheless sensitive, and fond of disputation. He engaged in several keen controversies, particularly with Uh - ic Huber, professor of law at Franeker, on the sense of a passage in the Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians; with Francius, professor of eloquence at Amsterdam; with James Gronovius, on the death of Judas Iscariot; with John Leclerc, on the subject of Quintus Curtius; and with Kuster on the aes grave of the ancients. The works of Perizonius all display erudition, but are deficient in order and method. Besides good editions of various authors, he wrote, 1. Animadversiones Historicae, in quibus quam plurima in priscis Romanarum rerum sed utriusque linguae autoribus notantur, multa etiam illustrantur atque emendantur, Amsterdam, 1685, in 8vo; 2. Q. Curtius Rufus in integrum restitutus, vindicatus, Leyden, 1703, in 8vo; 3. De Doctrinae Studiis, nuper post depulsam barbariem diligentissime denuo cultis et desideratis, nunc vero rursus neglectis fere et contemptis, Leyden, 1708, in 8vo; 4. Rerum per Europam saeculo XVI. maxime gestarum Commentarii Historici, ibid. 1710, in 8vo; 5. Origines Babyloniern et Aegyptiacae, Leyden, 1711, in two vols. 8vo, a work full of curious and interesting remarks on the chronology of Egypt, in opposition to Marsham, Usher, Capell, Pezron, and some other chronologists; 6. Opuscula Minora, Orationes atque Dissertationes varii et praestantioris argumenti, Leyden, 1740, in two vols. 8vo, preceded by a Life of Perizonius, and a catalogue of the manuscripts which he bequeathed to the library of Leyden. Amongst the works edited by this able scholar may be mentioned the History of Aelian, 1701, in two vols. 8vo, and the Minerva of Sanctius, 1714, in 8vo. (a.)