BUSCIIING, ANTHONY FREDERICK, was born at Stadthagen, in Germany, in 1724. After having been instructed in the Greek, Chaldaic, and Syriac languages, and also in mathematics and astronomy, by M. Ilauber, the pastor of a German congregation at Copenhagen, he went, in 1744, to study divinity at Halle. In 1745, he published his first work entitled, 4n Introduction to the Epistle of Paul to the Philip/glans, which was followed by his exegetical lectures on Isaiah and on the New Testament. Having been employed, in 1748, to super intend the education of the eldest sot; of the Count Lynar, he accompanied that nobleman to St Petersburgh in 1749, and in the course of this journey he planned the new sys tem of geography, which he afterwards executed with so much ability. The difficulties with which lie had to struggle in the composition of this work, induced him to leave his present situation (17520 and to repair to Co penhagen for the purpose of completing it. In this city he conducted a monthly work on the state of the Arts and Sciences in Denmark ; and when he returned to Halle, in 1754, he published his Vindicie Se/ztcntrionis, and announced his design of publishing a work on the constitution of the principal states of Europe. This plan, however, was frustrated, by his accepting, in 1739, of the office of extraordinary professor of philosophy at Gottingen, with a salary of 200 rix-dollars to enable him to complete his geography.
In consequence of the death of Mosheim, Busching offered himself a candidate for the professorship of the ology in Gottingen ; but his religious opinions were not sufficiently sound, and instead of obtaining the object of his ambition, lie was ordered by a rescript. issued in 1757, to abstain from lecturing on disputed points in the ology, and from publishing any thing on that subject which had not been approved of by the privy council of Hanover.
In 1739, Busching was appointed public professor of philosophy, and his leisure hours were occupied in the completion of his geographical work. In 1761, he ac cepted of the office of pastor to a Lutheran congregation at St Pctersburgh, where he founded a public school, which had risen to such reputation in 1763, that Catherine H. granted it several privileges. Some disputes, however, respecting this institution, produced a difference between him and his congregation, and occasioned his return to his native country. Busching now chose Altona as the place of his residence ; and he continued here, notwith standing the numerous proposals that were made to in duce him to return to Gottingen. In 1766, he was ap pointed director of a gymnasium at Berlin ; and in this capital he spent the remainder of his life, respected by all who knew him, and distinguished by his unwearied industry in literary pursuits. A pulmonary disorder, with which he was for several years afflicted, terminated his useful life, in 1793 ; and, according to his own direc tions, he was buried in his garden at midnight, without any ceremony.
The productions of this laborious writer were more than an hundred. His Geography, which was published at different times after the year 1754, was completed in six quarto volumes, and went through no fewer than eight editions during his life. He published also a Magazine for Modern History and Geography, which was completed in 22 quarto parts, between 1767 and 1788. His Weekly account of Maps appeared in detached parts, between the years 1773 and 1787. (or)