CAMERA RIUS, Plum r, a learned anthor, Ito flourished in the sixteenth and earlier part or the seven teenth century. Camerarius is the same name as Cham berlain, one which is known over the whole continent. and evidently derived from the office of chamberlain to princes and religious houses.
Philip Camerarius was the son of Joachim Caine: a rius, a distinguished character of his time, who was regarded as among the most learned men in Europe. Ile was born in the year 1537, and called Philip after Me lancthon the reformer.
Philip Camerarius, at an early age, testified the same love of literature which has characterised other mem bers of his family, and after receiving the instructions of his father, professedly studied the law. Having spent some years in this occupation, he left his native city Tubingen, and crossed the Alps to make a tour in Italy. An interesting fragment of a journal written on that oc casion is preserved, which spews the state of the differ ent places visited in his route, and proves that he pos sessed a mind capable of acute remark. The taste which he had acquired for the knowledge of the ancients, led him to those remains of antiquity which were most celebrated in history, and to cities such as Padua, Man tua, and Rome, which had given birth to eminent men.
The doctrines of the reformed religion had at that time made rapid progress in Germany, and the followers of Calvin and Luther were viewed with a jealous eye in county ies subjected to the papal dominion. While Ca rncrarius was walking the streets of Rome at mid-day with his companions, he was suddenly seized by the offi cers of justicc, and carried to the prisons of the inquisi tion. Here he was confined a considerable time, and underwent repeated examinations concerning the reli gion he professed, the cause of his journey to Italy, and his acquaintance with certain individuals there. The fame of this sanguinary tribtTal, and the danger of im plicating the innocent, could not but fill both himself and his relatives with the most lively apprehension ; though, by unusual good fortune, after the inquisitors having in vain endeavoured to make him a proselyte to the Roman Catholic faith, he was liberated. Being ordered to quit
Rome, he repaired to his brother Joachim at Nuremberg in 1566.
Camerarius, after passing through some intermediate gradations, was promoted to be vice-chancellor of the university of Altorf in Franconia, and one of the state counsellors, offices which he filled with great applause during forty-two years.
At this time he was occupied, in conjunction with his brother, in editing the literary works of their father, which appeared in 1583 and 1585 ; and he was also en gaged in the publication of his own writings. Of these, three volumes successively appeared under the same title, being ()fierce Horarum subseisivarum sive Medita tiones Historicx, which contain a number of philosophical mid critical remarks, though more the result of reading than of actual experience. This work being well adapt ed to the prevailing taste of the times, was translated in to several foreign languages ; but the doctrines it con tains, being too liberal for a people enslaved by bigotry, an edict was published at Rome in 1603, prohibiting every individual from having it in his possession, under the severest penalties. After this it entered the Index exnurgatorius,librorum prohibitorum.
Camerarius was also occupied in corresponding with his learned cotemporaries, such as Ritterhusius, Gry ticeus, Languetus, Hotomannus, and others ; and in his literary pursuits, he, at great expellee, collected an ex tensive library.
At length, in the full enjoyment of public and private estimation, he died in the year 1624, aged 87. An epi taph, written by himself in these words, is remarkable for its simplicity : forsitan alia, nos nihil aliud." See Schelhoin dc vita, Allis ac meritis Crtmerarii, 1740; and Camerarius Relatio de Cafitivitate sr:a Row na. (e)