PUFENDORF, Samuel, BARON VON, German publicist and historian: b. Chemnitz, Saxony, 8 Jan. 1632; d. Berlin, 26 Oct. 1694. He studied theology and law at Leipzig and in 1657 philosophy at Jena; was tutor in the house of the Swedish ambassador at Copen hagen, and by his work, 'Elementa Jurispruden tiae Universalis' (1660) secured the appoint ment, the first in Germany, to the professorship of the law of nature and of nations at Heidel berg in 1661. Here he taught till 1670, and wrote We Statu Rei Publicx Germanic pub lished in 1667 under the pseudonym of Severinus Mozambano, and which, from the hardy way in which some of the imperfections of the Ger manic constitution are exposed, raised a storm of controversy. Partly with a view to escape unpleasant consequences, Pufendorf accepted in 1670 the post of professor of natural law in the university at Lund, offered him by Charles XI of Sweden. He there wrote his work on natural law, 'De Jure Naturm et Gentium' (1672), which superseded the former; soon after ap peared the abstract of this work, We Officio Hominis et Civis' (1673), which has passed through numerous editions and been translated into several languages. Pufendorf in these lie deviated still further than Grotius from e scholastic method of philosophizing, and consequently excited violent opposition. About
1677 he was appointed secretary of state, royal counsellor, and historiographer at Stockholm. There he wrote in Latin the 'History of Swe den from the Campaign of Gustavus Adolphus in Germany to the Abdication of Queen Chris tina' (1676), and in German his (Einleitung zur Geschichte der Vornehmsten Reiche and Staaten) (1682). These works so much in creased his reputation that in 1686 he was called to Berlin as counsellor, historiographer, and judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature. In 1690 he was made privy-councillor of the Elec tor of Brandenburg, and in 1694 was created baron by the king of Sweden. Pufendorf's legal writings arc regarded as marking an epoch in the history of natural law, treating it as based upon the social instinct and developing it as a philosophical morality, while allowing scope to revelation.
the popular name of an African viper (Bitis arietatss), which should not be confused with the American puffing adder or blowing-adder, of the genus Heterodon. (See Hoc.NosE). The hognose adder is harm less, but the African viper is highly dangerous, its head appearing puffed, because of the large size of the poison sacs. See SERPENTS;