BURMA N*.

ETER BURMAN was born at Utrecht, on

PE

the 26th day of June, 1668. The family from which he defcended has for feveral generations produced men of great eminence for piety and learning; and his father, who was profeffor of divinity in the university, and paftor of the city of Utrecht, was equally celebrated for the ftrictnefs of his life, the efficacy and orthodoxy of his fermons, and the learning and perfpicuity of his academical lectures.

From the affiftance and inftruction which fuch a father would doubtlefs have been encouraged by the genius of this fon not to have omitted, he was unhappily cut off at eleven years of age, being at that time by his father's death thrown entirely under the care of his mother, by whofe diligence, piety, and prudence, his education was fo regulated, that he had scarcely any reason, but filial tenderness, to regret the lofs of his father.

He was about this time sent to the public fchool of Utrecht, to be inftructed in the learned languages; and

*First printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1742.

it

it will convey no common idea of his capacity and industry to relate, that he had paffed through the claffes, and was admitted into the university in his thirteenth year.

This account of the rapidity of his progrefs in the first part of his ftudies is fo ftupendous, that though it is attefted by his friend, Dr. Ofterdyke, of whom it cannot be reasonably fufpected that he is himself deceived, or that he can defire to deceive others, it must be allowed far to exceed the limits of probability, if it be confidered, with regard to the methods of education practifed in our country, where it is not uncommon for the highest genius, and moft comprehenfive capacity, to be entangled for ten years, in thofe thorny paths of literature, which Burman is reprefented to have paffed in lefs than two; and we must doubtless confefs the moft fkilful of our mafters much excelled by the addrefs of the Dutch teachers, or the abilities of our greateft fcholars far furpaffed by thofe of Bur

man.

f

But, to reduce this narrative to credibility, it is neceffary that admiration fhould give place to inquiry, and that it be difcovered what proficiency in literature is expected from a ftudent, requefting to be admitted into a Dutch university. It is to be observed, that in the universities in foreign countries, they have profeffars of philology, or humanity, whofe employment is to inftruct the younger claffes in grammar, rhetoric, and languages; nor do they engage in the ftudy of philofophy, till they have paffed through a courfe of philological lectures and exercifes, to which in fome places two years are commonly allotted.

VOL. IV.

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The

The English scheme of education, which with regard to academical studies is more vigorous, and fets literary honours at a higher price than that of any other country, exacts from the youth, who are initiated in our colleges, a degree of philological knowledge, fufficient to qualify them for lectures in philofophy, which are read to them in Latin, and to enable them to proceed in other studies without affiftance; so that it may be conjectured, that Burman, at his entrance into the univerfity, had no fuch fkill in languages, nor fuch ability of compofition, as are frequently to be met with in the higher claffes of an English school; nor was perhaps more than moderately skilled in Latin, and taught the first rudiments in Greek.

In the university he was committed to the care of the learned Grævius, whofe regard for his father inclined him to fuperintend his ftudies with more than common attention, which was foon confirmed and increafed by his difcoveries of the genius of his pupil, and his obfervation of his diligence.

One of the qualities which contributed eminently to qualify Grævius for an inftructor of youth, was the fagacity by which he readily discovered the predominant faculty of each pupil, and the peculiar defignation by which nature had allotted him to any fpecies of literature, and by which he was foon able to determine, that Burman was remarkably adapted to claffical studies, and predict the great advances that he would make, by induftriously pursuing the direction of his genius.

Animated by the encouragement of a tutor fo celebrated, he continued the vigour of his application, and, for feveral years, not only attended the lectures of Grævius, but made ufe of every other opportunity of

improve

improvement, with fuch diligence, as might justly be expected to produce an uncommon proficiency.

Having thus attained a fufficient degree of claffical knowledge, to qualify him for enquiries into other fciences, he applied himself to the ftudy of the law, and published a differtation, " de Vicefima Hæreditaσε tum," which he publickly defended, under the profeffor Van Muyden, with fuch learning and eloquence, as procuted him great applaufe.

Imagining, then, that the converfation of other men of learning might be of ufe towards his farther improvement, and rightly judging, that notions formed in any fingle feminary are for the greatest part contracted and partial; he went to Leyden, where he ftudied philofophy for a year, under M. de Volder, whofe celebrity was fo great, that the schools affigned to the sciences, which it was his province to teach, were not fufficient, though very fpacious, to contain the audience that crowded his lectures, from all parts. of Europe.

Yet he did not fuffer himself to be engroffed by philofophical difquifitions, to the neglect of thofe ftudies in which he was more early engaged, and to which he was perhaps by nature better adapted; for he attended at the fame time Ryckius's explanations of Tacitus, and James Gronovius's lectures on the Greek writers, and has often been heard to acknowledge, at an advanced age, the affiftance which he received from them.

Having thus paffed a year at Leyden with great advantage, he returned to Utrecht, and once more applied himfelf to philological ftudies, by the affiftance of Grævius, whofe early hopes of his genius were now

raifed to a full confidence of that excellence at which

he afterwards arrived.

of

At Utrecht, in March 1688, in the twentieth year his age, he was advanced to the degree of doctor of haws; on which occafion he published a learned differtation, "de Tranfactionibus," and defended it with his ufual eloquence, learning, and fuccefs,

The attainment of this honour was far from having upon Burman that effect which has been too often obferved to be produced in others, who, having in their own opinion no higher object of ambition, have elapfed into idlenefs and fecurity, and spent the rest of their lives in a lazy enjoyment of their academical dignities. Burman aspired to farther improvements, and, not fatisfied with the opportunities of literary converfation which Utrecht afforded, travelled into Switzerland and Germany, where he gained an increase both of fame and learning.

At his return from this excurfion, he engaged in the practice of the law, and pleaded feveral caufes with fuch reputation, as might be hoped by a man who had joined to his knowledge of the law, the embellishments of polite literature, and the strict ratiocination of true philofophy, and who was able to employ on every occation the graces of eloquence and the power of argumentation,

While Burman was haftening to high reputation in the courts of juftice, and to thofe riches and honours which always follow it, he was fummoned in 1691, by the magiftrates of Utrecht, to undertake the charge of collector of the tenths, an office in that place of great honour, and which he accepted therefore as a proof of their confidence and efteem.