PLINY TnE ELDER, CAIUS PLINIUS SECUNDTJS, a cele brated Roman author, was born at Verona in the reign of Tiberius, in A. D. 23. Pliny distinguished himself early in the field, and after having been made one of the augurs of Rome, he was appointed governor of Spain. Though he was not inattentive to his public duties, yet every lei sure moment that he could command, was devoted to lite rature and science. His habits of industry were so great, that he availed himself of every portion of his time. At his meals, and w bile he was dressing, one of his servants read to him. He constantly inserted in a memorandum book, notices of all the information which he thus acquir ed, and he went from place to place in a sedan, that he might read on the road.
When he commanded the fleet at Misenum, in the month of August, A. D. 79, he was startled at the sudden ap pearance of a cloud of dust and ashes, and being ignorant of its cause, his curiosity was so great that he instantly set sail in a small vessel towards Mount Vesuvius, which he observed in a state of violent eruption. Although the inhabitants were flying from the coast to avoid the danger, yet he ordered his pilot to steer directly across to Stabix, where his friend Pomponius had a villa, and having land ed, he passed the night at his house. Fresh showers of ashes, however, had nearly blocked up his apartments, and the walls of the house were shaken with earthquakes, so that he was compelled to quit it early in the morning. A
contrary wind preventing him from returning to Misenum, and•the violence of the eruption having increased, the fire at last approached the place where he had taken shelter to make his observations. He now endeavoured to escape; but though supported by two of his servants, he at last fell down, and was suffocated by the sulphureous flames by which he was enveloped. Three days after, his body was found, and decently interred by his nephew, who happen ed to be then at Misenum with the fleet. The death of Pliny took place in the 56th year of his age. His works are as follows : 1. On the Use of the Javelin on Horse back. 2. On the Life of Pomponius Secundus. 3. Of the Wars in Germany, 28 books. 4. On Oratory. 3 books. 5. On Grammar, 8 books. 6. On the History of his own Times, 31 books. 7. On Natural History. 37 books. The only one of these works which is extant is his .Vatural History, which is regarded as one of the most valuable re mains of antiquity. Pliny is said to have written 160 vo lumes of annotations on the different authors which he read ; and one Lartius Lutinus is said to have offered a sum equal to sterling for these notes.
The best editions of Pliny arc that of Hardonius, 3 vols. fol. Paris, 1723; that of Frantzius, 10 vols. 8vo. Lips. 1778 ; of Brotier, 6 vols. 12mo. Paris, 1779 ; and the Variorum edition, 8vo. in 8 vols. Lips. 1778-1789.