GRUTER, JOHN, an eminent scholar and critic, was born at Ant. weep, December 3, 1560. He may be esteemed half an Englishman, being of an English mother, learned and able, who is reported to have been his childhood's chief instructor. Moreover, his family being Pro testant, and driven from Antwerp on account of their religion, he spent his boyhood iu Englaud, and studied several years at Cambridge, which he quitted to go to Leyden at the age of niueteen. His biography, Is to dates and places, is not clearly made out. His first academic moployment was at Wittemberg, as professor of history. This he left, -ether thou compromise his adhereuce to the Protestant religion. The Drofessonship of belles-lettres at Padua, a place of much emolument, he declined on similar considerations. In 1602 we find him a professor at Heidelberg but know not in what branch of learning : he had also the direction of tho public library. He himself made a very valuable cols action of books, at the expense of 12,000 crowns, which was lost iu the lack of Heidelberg by Tilly in 1622. After this he received invitations Isom several universities, none of which were accepted. lie continued a reside near Heidelberg until his death, September 20, 1627.
Gruter was more remarkable for industry than for brilliancy of .alent : it is said that he published a book almost every month, vhich, of course, is an exaggeration ; but any one of whom this could se eaid, must have published a great deal not worth remembering. Cho catalogue of his works iu Niceron (v. 9) extends only to thirty wo. It includes editions of, or note's on, Seneca, Statius, Martial, racitus, Vell. Paterculus, Florus, Livy, Salluet, Pliny, Onoeander, 'anegyrici Vcteres, Historic Augusta) Scriptores, Latini Minorca, :licero, and l'ublius Syrtis. His chief work was Inscriptioues tntiquei totius Orbia Romani,' Heidelberg, 1601: a repository of all heu known inscriptions, which alone, it has been said, would be nough for the glory of Gruter. The original work however is supers eded by a second edition, by Grievius, Amt., 1707, 4 vols., fol. : Lampas,' 6 vols. 8vo., 1602, deserves mention as a collection of rare r unpublished critical notices on all manner of subjects, by various persons, which might probably have perished in their scattered state. (Niceron, Memoires pour servir, &c., vol. ix.; Bayle.)