MORINUS, jOANNES (MORIN, JEAN), the author of several works of Biblical interest, was born at Blois in 1591. He was educated in the Pro testant faith, and studied at Leyden. In 1618 he renounced Protestantism, and entered the Con gregation of the Oratory, then recently established. He held for some time the office of superior in the college of Angers • also a chaplaincy to Henrietta of France. The latter appointment was of short continuance. The remaining portion of his life was spent in Paris in the house of St. Honore. His published works, the fruits of immense learn. ing, were the following—Exercitationes Ecclesias ticao in utrumque Samaritanorum Pentateuchum, Paris 1631 ; Sanzaritanum Pentateuchum, in Samaritan and Hebrew letters ; also a Latin ver sion—this edition of the S. P. was included in the Paris Polyglott, 1645. Exercitationes Biblica• de Hebraici Gracique lex/us Sinceritate, Paris 1633, 4to, and greatly enlarged and improved in 1669, fol., prefaced with a life of the author by Father
Constantine of the Oratory ; A Samaritan Gram mar and Lexicon ; and also, Opusczda Hebraico Sanzaritana. The main object of these various works of Morinus was the exaltation of the Sama ritan and Septuagint texts above the Hebrew. Indeed, their author has been regarded as the restorer of the ancient Samaritan language. His anti-Massoretic zeal, however, was, not according to knowledge, as later investigations in the same field have abundantly proved. He was attacked by Simeon de Muis, in his Assertio Veritatis He 1634, and in his Castigatio Marini, 1639. For a fuller account of the writings of Morinus, see the lectures of Bishop Marsh. He died in 1659.—W. J. C.