ABRAHAM IIYACINTIIE, an oriental scholar, was b. at Paris, Dec. 7, 1731. He commenced the study of theology in his native city, and afterwards prosecuted it at Auxerre and Amersfort. But his love of oriental languages drew him back to Paris, where he was assisted by the Abbe Sallier, overseer of the manuscripts in the royal library. As lie now possessed a tolerable knowledge of Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian, he enlisted as a private soldier for India in 1754, to gratify his passion for learning; but Malesherbes and the Abbe Barthelemy rescued him from this degradation, and enabled him, through the royal munificence, to proceed independently. After his arrival in India, lie traversed a great part of the peninsula, but finally fixed his residence at Surat, where there was a colony of Parsees, or fire-worshipers, with whose priests he soon became so intimate, that they not only instructed him in the doctrines of Zoroaster, but also gave him some of their sage's books, written in Zend, in and in Sanscrit. In 1762, he returned to Europe, having collected one hundred manuscripts, along with other curiosities. The Abbe Barthelemy now obtained for him a situation in the bibli otheque royale, and in 1763 he was elected a member of the academie des belles-lettres. In 1771, he published his Zend-avesta, in 3 vols., which contained the results of his
researches. It consists of a literal translation of the Vendidad, as well as other sacred books of the Parsecs, preceded by a narrative of his travels. This work created a great sensation when it first appeared. Until then, our only knowledge of the doctrines of the ancient Persians had been obtained from Greek and Roman sources, hostile Mohamme dans, and eastern nations of a later origin. But A. now presented to the investigation of Europeans the original records of these doctrines, or, at least, records of incontestable authority. Unfortunately, his zeal far surpassed his patience and sagacity. He had not a sufficient mastery over the languages from which he translated. His translations are, consequently, anything but accurate. Since A. wrote, great advances have been made in oriental scholarship, and his labors are now in a °Teat measure superseded. Among his other works we may mention his Legislation Orientale, 1778; Recherches Historigues et Geographigues sur l'Inde, 1786; La Dignite du Commerce et de retat du Comnzerfant, 1789; L' Inde en Rapport avec l'Europe, 1790; Oupnek,'hat (a selection from the theological portion of the Vedas), 1804. He d. at Paris, 17th Jan., 1805.