LUBIENIETSKI (Latinised Luniestiectus). There are five persons of this name tone Andrew, two Christopher, and two Stanislaa), all distinguished in the Polish Socinian controversy. A list of their several writings may bo found in Sandius, IlibL Antitrin.,' Preistadt, 1684. The subject of the present article is Stanialae the younger, son of Christopher, who was born at Cracow, August 23, 1623. He was minister of a church at Lublin, until driven out by the arm of power for his opinions. He died in exile at Hamburg, May 18, 1675. His death is stated to have been caused by poison—a feet borne out by the death of his two daughters, and the serious illness of his wife, after eating of the same dish ; but the Hamburg magistracy neglected to institute the investigation usual in cases of sudden death.
The theological works of Lubienietaki are numerous, and may be found iu Sandius, with the exception of the ' Ilistoria Reformationie Polouicte,' published iu 1685 at Freistadt, with a life prefixed ; but the work which makes his reputation more European, and entitles him to a place here, is his ' Thentrum Cometicum.' This work was pub lished at Amsterdam in 1667 (Sandius and Weidler), but a copy in our possession has a Leyden title-page, and the date 1681. This change of titles in different parts of the same edition was formerly not uncommon, and has caused much confusion. A pictorial frontispiece has the following anagram for Stanislas Lubieniecius, 'Sethi in ulna Jam lucebis.' The ' Theatrum Coineticum ' consists of three parts. The first coutains the correspondence of the author with men of science throughout Europe on the subject of the comets of 1664 and 1665, and has in it communications from Vossius, Oldenburg, Hevelius, Kircher, Bouillaud, Von Gucricke, kc. itc. The second part contains an elaborate account of all the comets (415 in number) recorded iu history down to the year 1665. It is written in support of the hypo thesis that comets portend both good and evil, in opposition to the prevailing notion that they were harbingers of misfortune only ; and this opinion he supports from history, it being clearly shown that public events of both characters usually followed close upon comets.
Thus he points out that though the comet of 323 strengthened the heresy of Arius, it also brought about the council of Nice ; and this, from Lubienieteki, was not a little satirical Wo are in doubt whether to conclude that the author maintained his hypothesis in good faith, or to suspect that ho chose his line of argument as the best practical mode of attacking the prevailing terrors; and our doubt becomes stronger when we see that in the third part, called Theatri Cometici exitus,' he rather widens his hypothesis ; and whereas lie had before maintained that comets foretell both good and evil, he now asserts the dilemma that they predict both or neither, but still cautiously.
In the discussions about Halley's comet this work of Lubienietski was freely cited in proof of one and another former appearance, or presumed appearance, of that memorable body. It seems to have been taken for granted that the mere mention of a comet by this author is sufficient evidence of its having really appeared. It may be useful therefore to recommend those who would prove a comet from the 'Theatrum Cotneticute (and the same caution may be given with respect to Riccioli's list), first to examine the authority on which the fact rests. Lubienietaki has collected every instance, and gives his originals ; but this, though done with care and great learning (exhi biting a Inas, of research which will appear wonderful when we remember that the investigator was driven from country to country, and engaged in continual theological controversy), should only serve to enable the reader to discriminate. Many of the authorities cited are worthless, a'nd it even happens that the original historian of one of Lubienietski's comets was born many hundred years after the pheno menon for the appearance of which he is made sufficient evidence.