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SIRMOND (JAMES), a very learned French Jesuit, was the son of a magistrate, and born at Riom, Oct. 12, 1559. At ten years of age he was sent to the college of Billon, in Lower Auvergne, the first seminary which the Jo. Pits had in France. He entered into the society in 1576, and two years after took the vows. His superiors, discovering his uncommon talents, sent him to Paris; where he taught classical literature two years, and rhetoric three. 16 of his pupils were Charles of Valois, duke D'Angouleme, the natural son of Charles IX., and Francis de Sales. During this time, he acquired a perfect knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages; and formed that style which has been so much esteemed by the learned. It is said that he took Muretus for his model, and never passed a day without reading some pages in his writings; and it is certain that by this, or his natural taste, he became one of the purest Latin writers of his time. In 1586, he began his course of divinity, which lasted four years. He undertook to translate into Latin the works of the Greek fathers, and began to write notes upon Sidonius Apollinaris. In 1590, he was sent for to Rome by the general of the order, Aquaviva, to take upon him the office of his secretary; which he discharged for sixteen years with success, and clothed the sentiments of his employer in very superior language. The study of antiquity was at that time his principal object: he visited libraries, and consulted manuscripts: he contemplated antiques, medals, and inscriptions and the Italians, though jealous of the honour of their nation, acknowledged his acuteness as an antiquary, and consulted him in many cases of difficulty. At Rome he formed a friendship with the most eminent men of the time, particularly with Bellarmine and Tolet, who were of his own society, and with the cardinal Baronius, D'Ossat, and Du Perron. Baronius was much assisted by him in his "Ecclesiastical Annals," especially in affairs relating to the Greek history; upon which he furnished him with a great number of works, translated from Greek into Latin.

Sirmond returned to Paris in 1606; and from that time did not cease to enrich the public with a great number of works, particularly editions of the authors of the middle age, printed by him with great care from original manuscripts discovered by him in the public libraries. Much of his life was employed, and the better part of his reputation depends, on his labours as an editor, which produced

eorrect copies of Geoffroy de Vendome, Ennodius, Flodoard, Fulgentius, Valerian, Sidonius Apollinaris, one of his most valuable editions, Paschasius Radbert, Eugene of Toledo, Idacius, Marcellinus, and many others. When his reputation became more generally known, pope Urban VIII. had a desire to draw him again to Rome; and caused a letter for that purpose to be sent to him by father Vittelleschi, general of their order: but Louis XIII. would not suffer a person who did so much honour to his kingdom, to leave it; and, in 1637, appointed him his confessor, in the room of father Caussin, which delicate office he accepted with great reluctance, yet demeaned himself with the utmost caution and prudence, never meddling with political affairs, or employing his interest in enriching his relations. In 1643, however, after the death of Louis XIII. he left the court, and resumed his ordinary occupations with the same tranquillity as if he had never quitted his retirement. In 1645, he went to Rome, notwithstanding his great age, for the sake of assisting at the election of a general, upon the death of Vittelleschi, as he had done thirty years before upon the death of Aquaviva; and, after his return to France, resumed his studies. But having engaged in a warm dispute in the college of the Jesuits, the exertion brought on a disorder which carried him off in a few days. He died Oct. 7, 1651, aged ninety-two.

The works of which he was author and editor amount to fifteen volumes in folio; five of which, containing his original productions, many of them on controversial points, were printed at the royal printing-house at Paris in 1696, under this title: "Jacobi Sirmondi Opera Varia, nunc primum collecta, ex ipsius schedis emendatiora, Notis posthumis, Epistolis, et Opusculis aliquibus auctiora." The following character is given of him by Du Pin: "Father Sirmond knew how to join a great delicacy of understanding and the justest discernment to a profound and extensive erudition. He understood Greek and Latin in perfection, all the profane authors, history, and whatever goes under the name of belles lettres. He had a very extensive knowledge in ecclesiastical antiquity, and had studied with care all the authors of the middle age. His style is pure, concise, and nervous: yet he affects too much certain expressions of the comic poets. He meditated very much upon what he wrote, and had a particular

art of reducing into a note what comprehended a great many things in a very few words. He is exact, judicious, simple; yet never omits any thing that is necessary. His dissertations have passed for a model; by which it were to be wished that every one who writes would form himself. When he treated of one subject, he never said immediately all that he knew of it; but reserved some new arguments always for a reply, like auxiliary troops, to come up and assist, in case of need, the grand body of the battle. He was disinterested, equitable, sincere, moderate, modest, laborious; and by these qualities drew to himself the esteem, not only of the learned, but of all mankind. He has left behind him a reputation which will last for many ages."

SIXTUS IV. originally called FRANCIS ALBISOLA DELLA ROVERA, is said by some writers to have been the son of a fisherman at Celles, a village five leagues from Savona in the territory of Genoa, but others derive him from a branch of a noble family. He was born in 1413, entered the Franciscan order, took a doctor's degree at Padua, and taught with reputation in the universities of Bologna, Pavia, Sienna, Florence, and Perugia. After this he became general of the Franciscans, then cardinal through the interest of cardinal Bessarion, and at length pope, August 9, 1471, on the death of Paul II. He immediately armed a fleet against the Turks, and displayed great magnificence and liberality during his whole pontificate. He was almost the founder of, and certainly greatly enriched the Vatican library, and entrusted the care of it to the learned Platina. He published a bull, March 1, 1746, granting indulgences to those who should celebrate the festival of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin; the first decree of the Roman church concerning that festival. The establishment of the feast of St. Joseph, for which Gerson had taken great pains, is also ascribed to this pope. Historians have reproached him with conniving at the vices of his nephews, being too violent against the Medici family and the Venetians, and having joined in the conspiracy of the. Pazzi at Florence. There seems upon the whole to have been little in his character to command the respect of posterity, except his patronage of literature. He died Au

1 Dupin.-Niceron, vol. XVII.-Bates's "Vitæ Selectorum."-Perrault's "Les Hommes Illustres."

gust 13, 1484, aged 71. Before his election to the pontificate, he wrote the following treatises: "De Sanguine Christi," Rome, 1473, fol. scarce; "De futuris contigentibus;" "De potentiâ Dei ;""De Conceptione beatæ Virginis," &c.; a very scarce work is also attributed to him, entitled "Regula Cancellariæ," 1471, 4to, translated into French by Dupinet, 1564, 8vo, and reprinted under the title of "La Banque Romaine," 1700, 12mo.'

SIXTUS V. (POPE), whose proper names were FELIX PERETTI, was born in 1521, in the signiory of Montalto: his father, Francis Peretti, for his faithful service to a country gentleman, with whom he lived as a gardener, was rewarded with his master's favourite servant-maid for a wife. These were the parents of that pontiff, who, from the instant of his accession to the papacy, even to the hour of his death, made himself obeyed and feared, not only by his own subjects, but by all who had any concern with him. Though he very early discovered talents and inclination for learning, the poverty of his parents prevented their indulging it; for which reason, at about nine years of age, his father hired him to an inhabitant of the town, to look after his sheep: but his master, being on some occasion disobliged, removed him to a less honourable employment, and gave him the care of his hogs. He was soon released, however, from this degrading occupation : for, in 1531, falling accidentally under the cognizance of father Michael Angelo Selleri, a Franciscan friar, who was going to preach during the Lent season at Ascoli, the friar was so exceedingly struck with his conversation and behaviour, as to recommend him to the fraternity whither he was going. Accordingly, with the unanimous approbation of the community, he was received among them, invested with the habit of a lay-brother, and placed under "the sacristan, to assist in sweeping the church, lighting the candles, and such little offices; who, in return for his services, was to teach him the responses, and rudiments of grammar."

With no other tutor, his education commenced, and by a quick comprehension, strong memory, and unwearied application, he made such a surprising progress, that in 1534 he was thought fit to receive the cowl, and enter upon his noviciate; and, in 1535, was admitted to make 1 Bower.-Dupin.-Roscoe's Lorenzo.

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his profession, being no more than fourteen. He pursued his studies with so much assiduity, that, in 1539, he was accounted equal to the best disputants, and was soon admitted to deacon's orders. In 1545 he was ordained priest, and assumed the name of father Montalto: the same year, he took his bachelor's degree, and two years after, his doctor's; and was appointed to keep a divinity act before the whole chapter of the order, at which time he so effectually recommended himself to cardinal de Carpi, and cultivated so close an intimacy with Bossius his secretary, that they were both of them ever after his steady friends; and, indeed, he had frequent occasions for their interposition on his behalf; for the impetuosity of his temper, and his impatience of contradiction, bad already subjected him to several inconveniencies, and in the subsequent part of his life involved him in many more difficulties. While all Italy was delighted with his eloquence, he was perpetually embroiled in quarrels with his monastic brethren: he, however, formed two new friendships at Rome, which were afterwards of signal service to him: one with the Colonna family, who thereby became his protectors; the other with father Ghisilieri, by whose recommendation he was appointed inquisitor-general at Venice, by Paul IV. soon after his accession to the papacy in 1555. But the severity with which he executed his office, was so offensive to a people jealous of their liberties, as the Venetians were, that he was obliged to owe his preservation to a precipitate. flight from that city.

After his retreat from Venice, we find him acting in many public affairs at Rome, and as often engaged in disputes with the conventuals of his order; till he was appointed, as chaplain and consultor of the inquisition, to attend cardinal Buon Compagnon, afterwards Gregory XIII. who was then legate à latere to Spain. Here Montalto had great honours paid him he was offered to be made one of the royal chaplains, with a table and an apartment in the palace, and a very large stipend, if he would stay there; but having centered his views at Rome, he declined accepting these favours, and only asked the honour of bearing the title of his majesty's chaplain wherever he went. While things were thus circumstanced at Madrid, news was brought of the death of Pius IV. and the elevation of cardinal Alexandrino to the holy see, with the title of Pius V. Montalto was greatly transported at

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