BOECE, or BOETH1US, HECTOR, a native of Dun dee, descended from an ancient family in the shire of Angus, was born in the year 1470. He first studied at Dundee, and then at Aberdeen, where he was af terwards professor. On quitting Aberdeen lit visit ed Paris, and became a student in that university in the college of Montague. This was the commence ment of a friendship and correspondence betwixt him and Erasmus, the scholar and the wit, whose letters, addressed to Boethius, are still extant, and sufficient ly attest the estimation in which he' held his cor respondent. Boethius was appointed principal of King's college, which was fouuded in Aberdeen by Dr William Elphinston, bishop of Aberdeen, about the year 1500. All testimonies agree in the descrip tion of his social qualities, and literary attainments.
Of the latter, indeed, his productions are a sufficient ' ly honourable testimony. They consist of his Lives of the Bishops of Aberdeen, three parts of which are given to Elphinston, the founder of his college. This work does not appear to have been publicly com mented upon, with much either of praise or of ani madversion. But his great production, the history of Scotland, Scotornm Historia ab illius Geniis origine, 1526, has been the subject of dispute, strongly sea soned with that bitterness, which is thought to re lieve the insipidity of learned disputation. Lloyd, bishop of Worcester, described Boethius as a late ro mancer. Sir Robert Gordon of Stratogh, with greater decorum of language, condemned him as severely. " To confess the truth," he says, " I dislike Boc thius's history. Ignorant of the laws of historical writing, and living in a rude age, he has written what we cannot read without shame." He then notices his stories of Caractacus, the Silures, whom he places in the north, Camelodunum, and the threatening let ter of their king to Julius. Cmsar ; and then asks, " Is not this solemn doating ?" Stillingfleet, bishop of Worcester, pronounces, that if Hector Boethius did not forge all the names of the .pretended first race of Scottish kings, from Fergus I. to Fergus II., he did insert many things contrary to the ancient mythology in John de Fordon, and filled up the story of those kings, not out of their own annals as far as yet appears, but in a great measure out of his own invention. Boethius, however, has not wanted advocates ; of whom the most distinguished were, Sir George Mackenzie, in an answer to Bishop Lloyd, entitled, A Defence of the Royal Line of Scotland, and Archbishop Spotiswood. The arch bishop does not scruple to say, that " Boethius is tra duced by some of the English writers for a fabulous and partial historian ; but they who like, to peruse his history will perceive, that this is spoken out of passion and malice, and not upon any just cause."
rhe truth, however, as in most cases of .opposing prejudices, probably lies between both. The mind of Boethius was certainly strongly tinctured with the credulity of his day ; and he has admitted into his history narratives of idle miracles, pretended to have lent their art to signalize every public revolution. He has also brought its authenticity into some sus picion, by the frequent and detailed specimens of oratory which he has thrown into his history. Hence when his friend and panegyrist Erasmus. declare's, that " he knew not to lie ;" if the phrase allowed it, it would be difficult not to suspect the lively reformer of a sly cquivoque, admitting only his want of dexte rity. Vossius may seem an impartial judge ; and he confessed, in his time, that Boethius had mingled many fables with authentic history : and Buchanan owned, that he was not to be excused.
The history is written in a style which has gained It. .the highest commendations. Erasmus describes the author as a roan of extraordinary felicity of ta lents, and natural eloquence. As a proof that he gave this opinion honestly, (for he sometimes flatter ed princes,) he gave a catalogue of his own works then published, 1530, in a letter to Boethius ; and in another he sent him some poetical trifles, which he did not wish to 3CC the light, with this confidential caution, Si quid Erasmum auras, cave illius naps us plum eferas.
Boethius is thought to have died about the year I550. Before his death, he added an eighteenth and part of a nineteenth hook to his history, which was afterwards brought down to the reign of James III. by Ferrerius, a I'iedmontese. Ferrerius, speaking of the eighteenth book, declares, that he has treated of things there in so comprehensive a manner, that he believes no one could have executed the design with more fidelity and life than he has done.
- An epigram was written upon Boethius by Hum phrey Lloyd, the English antiquarian, which for dulness might be given for his epitaph : Ilectoris hihtoriei tot quot nzendtzcia queris Si vis ut numerem, lector amice, Myra me jubcasfluchut numcrare marittos, Et liquidi skies dinumerare poll.
This is no more to be accused of wit than that which was written upon his friend and correspondent Eras mus, though its prosody is better. See ERASMI:. (J. M.)