of most of them. Whoever Basil was, his experiments are always to be depended on, and his style is clear and precise, unless where he talks of his arcana and the philosopher's stone, on which he is as obscure as any of his brethren. After every preparation, he gives its medicinal uses, and it has been said that Van Helmont, Lemery, the father, and other moderns, are under greater obligations to his works than they have thought proper to acknowledge. He was the first who recommended the internal use of antimony, and he has enriched the pharmacopoeia with various preparations of that metal, particularly the empyreumatic carbonate of antimony, of which Sylvius Deleboe claimed the discovery.'

VALENTINUS, author of the heretical sect called Valentinians, was an Egyptian, and, according to Danæus, was educated at Alexandria. He aspired to the episcopal dignity; but being set aside by another, who was afterwards martyred, he formed the design to oppose the true doctrine of Christ. He came to Rome A. D. 140, during the pontificate of Hyginus, and there created great disturbances. In 143, he was censured by the church, and excluded the congregation; which was so far from humbling him, that he retired into Cyprus, where he propagated his erroneous doctrines with still greater boldness. He was learned, eloquent, and had studied the Grecian language, particularly the Platonic philosophy. Thus, from nice and witty, or sophistical, distinctions, mixing the doctrine of ideas, and the mysteries of numbers with the Theogony of Hesiod, and the Gospel of St. John, which was the only one received by him, he formed a system of religious philosophy, not very different from that of Basilides and the Gnostics, and in some respects more absurd than either, The rise of his heresy was in the reign of Adrian. Fleury places it A. D. 143, as do Danaus, Tillemont, and Echard. Valentine himself died A. D. 160. His errors spread at Rome, in Gaul, and Syria, but particularly in the Isle of. Cyprus and Egypt, and continued until the fourth century. Bishop Hooper, in his tract "De Hæresi Valentiniana," has deduced this heresy from the Egyptian mysteries. Irenæus was the principal writer against Valentinus, to whom may be added Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, &c. and among the moderns, Buddeus "Dis

1 Eloy, Dict. Hist. de Medecine.-Biog. Univ. Both in art. Basile.

sert. de hæresi Valentiniana." The author of this heresy is said to have at last abjured his errors, and was received into the church again, but we have no farther account of his personal history.

1

VALENTINUS (MICHAEL BERNARD), a botanical and medical writer, was born at Giessen in Germany, Nov. 26, 1657, and having studied medicine, became a professor of the science in his native place, where he died March 13, 1726. He wrote a great many works on the subject of his profession, but is thought to have succeeded best in those which concern botany. Among his writings of both kinds are, 1. "Historia simplicium reformata, Francfort, 1716, fol. 1726, both with plates. 2. "Amphitheatrum Zootomicum," ibid. 1720, fol. This was Becker's translation from the original, published in German in 17041714, 3 vols. fol. and subjoined is a life of Valentinus, written in verse by himself. 3. "Medicina nova-antiqua," ibid. 1713, 4to. 4. "Cynosura materiæ medica," Strasburgh, 1726, 3 vols. 5. "Viridarium reformatum," Francfort, 1720, fol. with fine plates. 6. "Corpus juris medicolegale," ibid. 1722, fol.; but this appears to be a second edition of his "Novella Medico-legales," printed in 1711, 4to, and contains many curious cases and questions which illustrate the state of medical jurisprudence at a time when it was not much freed from superstition and credulity. Valentinus published also a " Praxis medicinæ infallibilis,' in which he describes the filtering-stone now so well known; and another work, giving a history of philosophy, "Armamentarium Naturæ systematicum, seu Introductio ad philosophiam modernorum naturalem," Giessen, 4to. To this he adds an abridgment of the most remarkable papers on natural history from the transactions of the society "Naturæ Curiosorum." 2

VALERIANUS (PIERIUS), or VALERIANO BOLZANI, an ingenious and learned Italian, was born at Belluno, in the state of Venice, about 1477. He lost his father at nine years of age, and was reduced with his mother and brethren to great poverty, which so retarded his studies that he was fifteen years old before he learned to read; but his uncle Urbanus Bolzanius (see vol. VI. p. 36), who was afterwards preceptor in the Greek language to Leo X. took him under

1 Dupin. Musheim.

2 Dict. Hist.-Haller Bibl. Bot.-Mangeti Bibl, where is the poetical account of his Life.

his protection, and had him liberally educated. He studied the Latin and Greek tongues under Valla and Lascaris; and made so wonderful a progress, that he was accounted one of the most learned men of his age. Going to Rome under the pontificate of Julius II. he became the favourite of John de Medicis (afterwards Leo X.), who committed to his care the conduct and instruction of two nephews; and the cardinal Julius de Medicis, who entered upon the pontificate in 1523, under the name of Clement VII. shewed him the same regard. He offered him first the bishopric of Justinople, and then that of Avignon; but Valerianus refused them both, being fully satisfied with the place of apostolic notary. He was in imminent danger, when Rome was taken in 1527; and the year after retired to Belluno, for the sake of that tranquillity which he had never found at court. Yet he suffered himself to be drawn from his retirement by Hypolite de Medicis, one of his pupils; who, being made a cardinal in 1529, chose him for his secretary. He continued in this office till the death of the cardinal in 1535; and seems to have passed the next two years with his other pupil Alexander de Medicis, who had been made first duke of Florence in 1531. Upon the death of Alexander, in 1537, he retired to Padua; where he spent the remainder of his life among his books, and died in 1558. .

He composed several learned and curious works, some of which were published in his life-time, some not till after his death. Among the former are, "De Fulminum significationibus," Romæ, 1517, printed also in the 5th volume of Grævius's Roman Antiquities. "Pro Sacerdotum barbis defensio," Romæ, 1531, occasioned by an intention to renew a decree, pretended to be made by an ancient council, and confirmed by pope Alexander III. by which priests were forbidden to wear long beards. "Castigationes Virgiliana lectionis," printed in Robert Stephens's Virgil at Paris, 1532, and since reprinted with the best editions of this poet. Hieroglyphica, sive de sacris Egyptiorum aliarumque gentium literis Commentariorum libri LVIII." Basil, 1566. In this he attempts to illustrate, from Egyptian, Greek, and Roman symbols, almost every branch of science and art, but is supposed to display more imagination than judgment. Among the works published after his death are, "Dialogo della volgar lingua, non prima uscito in luce," 4to; "Antiquitatum Bellunensium libri quatuor,"

8vo; and "Contarenus, sive de literatorum infelicitate libri duo," 8vo; all printed at Venice in 1620, by the direction and under the care of Aloisio Lollini, bishop of Belluno. The last piece contains a great number of curious anecdotes; and is entitled "Contarenus," because the first book of it is a dialogue between Gaspar Contareno, a Venetian ambassador, and some learned persons at Rome. It has been often printed at Amsterdam, 1647, in 12mo, "cum Cornelii Tollii Appendice," at Helmstadt, 1695, in 12mo; and at Leipsic, 1707, in Svo, with two other pieces upon similar subjects, namely, "Alcionius de Exilio," and "Barberius de miseria Poetarum Græcorum," and a preface by Joannes Burchardus Menkenius, the editor. Mr. D'Israeli, who has written so well on this interesting subject, considers Valerianus's as "a meagre performance, in which the author shews sometimes a predilection for the marvellous, which happens so rarely in human affairs; and he is so unphilosophical, that he places among the misfortunes of literary men, those fatal casualties to which all men are alike liable." "Yet," adds Mr. D'Israeli, "even this small volume has its value; for, although the historian confines his narrative to his own times, he includes a sufficient number of names to convince us that to devote our life to authorship is not the true means of improving our happiness or our fortune."

Valerianus published also at different times two volumes of Latin poems, among which were "Amorum libri quinque." It may be proper to observe here, that Valerianus's Christian name was Peter; but changed, according to the custom of those times, by one of his masters into Pierius, in allusion to Pierides, a name of the Muses, and therefore probably done as a compliment to his talents for poetry.'

VALERIO, or VALIERO (AUGUSTINE), a learned prelate, was born April 7, 1531, at Venice, descended from one of the best families in that city. After having made a rapid progress in his studies, he was admitted among the Savii dell' Ordini, a small society of five young men of the highest rank at Venice, who had access to the college where affairs relative to the republic were debated, that they might be trained up to the science of government. Valerio took a doctor's degree in divinity and in canon

1 Tiraboschi.-Moreri in Pierio.-Roscoe's Leo.-D'Israeli's Calamities of Authors, Pref. p. vi.-Blount's Censure.

law, became professor of philosophy at Venice, 1558, and having afterwards chosen the ecclesiastical profession, was appointed bishop of Verona, on the resignation of his uncle, cardinal Bernardo Naugerio, 1565. He discharged the duties of the episcopal station with great prudence, and to the edification of his diocese, and formed a friendship with St. Charles Borromeo. Pope Gregory XIII. created him cardinal, 1583, invited him to Rome, and placed him at the head of several congregations. Valerio acquired universal esteem by his skill in public affairs, his learning and virtue. He died at Rome, May 24, 1606, aged 75, and although so advanced, his death is supposed to have been hastened by chagrin, occasioned by the interdiction under which pope Paul V. had laid the republic of Venice. This learned bishop left several excellent works: the most known are, "The Rhetoric of a Preacher," "De Rhetorica Ecclesiastica libri tres," Venice, 1574, 8vo, composed by the advice and according to the plan of his intimate friend, St. Charles Borromeo. This was so popular as to be printed eight times in the author's life, besides being translated into French, of which there is an edition so late as 1750, 12mo, nor, say the French writers, can the study of it be too strongly recommended to young ecclesiastics. His other works are on subjects of philosophy and history. In 1719, appeared in 4to, a work entitled "De cautione adhibenda in edendis Libris," which contains a complete list of Augustine Valerio's other works both printed and MS.1

VALERIUS FLACCUS. See FLACCUS.

VALERIUS MAXIMUS, an ancient Latin writer, of whom remain "libri novem factorum dictorumque memorabilium," dedicated to Tiberius Caesar, appears to have been a Roman, and lived under the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, probably about 32 of the Christian æra; for, he treats the memory of Sejanus with scorn and abhorrence, though he does not expressly mention him. His style is not so pure as might be expected from the age he lived in; and therefore many learned men conjectured, that what we have is not the original work, but only an epitome made by some later writer. Fabricius calls it "opus jucundum, varium, utile," as indeed it is; and many eminent critics have employed their lucubrations upon it. The first edi

Niceron, vol. V.-Tiraboschi.-Erythræi Pinacotheca.—Saxii Onomast.