HOTTINGER, JOHN HENRY, born at Zurich in 1620, after studying in his native country repaired to Leyden in 1639, where Golius the Orientalist engaged him as his assistant. Hottinger learned the Arabic and Turkish languages under a native of Morocco, and gradually became a distinguished Oriental scholar. He made hie Oriental studies subservient to his principal object, that of illustrating the Hebrew text of the Bible. He was appointed Professor of Scrip. torsi Theology at Zurich, and in 1655 the Elector Palatine induced him to remove to Heidelberg, to fill the chair of Oriental Languages. He was afterwards made rector of that university, which flourished greatly under his administration. Being recalled to ZUrich in 1661, he was employed by the government of his country in several important affairs. In 1667 the University of Leyden offered him the chair of theology, which he accepted; but while on the point of repairing to his destination he was drowned by the upsetting of a boat in the river Limmat. Hettinger left numerous works, chiefly on Oriental learning, the principal of which are-1, Historia Orientalis,' which contains dissertations on the religion of the Sabwi, Nabathmi, and other anoieut Arabic tribes ; ou tho genealogy and history of Mohammed; on the various names of Saracens, Agareni, Ishmaelitee, d:e., given to
his followers ; on the condition of the Eastern Christians and Jews at tho time of Mohammed; on the causes which have tended to maintain and to spread Mohammedanism ; on the schisms and heresies among the Muesulmans, de.; 2, 'Etymologicum Orientals,' being a Lexicon of seven languages, Hebrew, Chaldaic, Syriac, Samaritan, Arabic, Ethiopic, and Thalmudico-Rabbinic ; 3, Promptuarium, sive Biblio theca Oriental's,' being a catalogue of works in those languages. Hot tinger had begun a work on the history of Mohammedanism on a largo scale, which he styled 'Theatrum 3Iohammedicum: of which however be only published a 'Compendium,' to which he added a ' Topographia Eceleaiastica Orientalis; and also a' Compendium Theologies Christians Ecclesiarum Orientation': He also wrote ' Historia Eccleeiastica Novi Teatamenti,' 9 vole 8vo, 1667. His son John James Hettinger, pro feeaor of theology at ZUrich, wrote an 'Ecclesiastical History of Switzerland.'