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This is the first of his controversial tracts against Pappus, who had been the cause of his losing his rectorship. There are many letters between Sturmius and Roger Ascham in that collection published at Oxford in 1703.'

STURMIUS (JOHN CHRISTOPHER), a noted German mathematician and philosopher, was born at Hippolstein in 1635. He was a professor of philosophy and mathematics at Altdorf, and died there Dec. 26, 1703. In 1670, he published, 1. A German translation of the works of Archimedes; and afterwards produced many other books of his own. 2. "Collegium experimentale curiosum," Nuremberg, 1676, 4to; reprinted in 1701, 4to, a very curious work, containing a multitude of interesting experiments, neatly illustrated by copper-plate figures printed upon almost every page, by the side of the letter-press. Of these, the 10th experiment is an improvement on father Lana's project for navigating a small vessel suspended in the atmosphere by several globes exhausted of air. 3. "Physica electiva, et Hypothetica," Nuremberg, 1675, 2 vols. 4to; reprinted at Altdorf, 1730. 4." Scientia Cosmica," Altdorf, 1670, folio. 5. "Architecturæ militaris Tyrocinia," at the same place, 1682, folio. 6. “ 6. "Epistola de veritate propositionum Borelli de motu animalium," 4to, Nuremb. 1684. 7. "Physicæ conciliatricis Conamina," Altdorf, 1684, 8vo. 8. "Mathesis enucleata," Nuremb. 1695, 870. 9." Mathesis Juvenilis," Nuremb. 1699, 2 vols. 8vo. 10. "Physicæ modernæ compendium," Nuremb. 1704, 8vo. 11. "Tyrocinia mathematica," Leipsic, 1707, folio. 12. "Prælectiones Academicæ," 1722, 4to. "Prælectiones Academicæ," Strasburg, 12mo. The works of this author are still more numerous, but the most important of them are here enumerated."

13.

STURMIUS (LEONARD CHRISTOPHER), son of the preceding, and a very eminent writer on the subject of architecture, was born Nov. 5, 1669, at Altorff, and began his studies in 1683, at Heilbrunn. Returning home in 1688, he was created master of arts, his father being at that time dean of the university. In 1690 he went to Leipsic, and studied divinity, but soon quitted that for mathematics. About 1693, George Bose, a senator of Leipsic, a man of fortune and an amateur, put into his hands Nicolas Gold

1 Melchior Adam.-Foppen Bibl. Belg.—Gen. Dict.-Niceron vol. XXIX. 2 Dict. Hist.-Moreri.-Hutton's Dictionary.

mann's manuscript work on architecture, which he wished to publish, but which had been left imperfect in some parts. Sturmius accordingly undertook the office of editor, and it appeared in 1708, in 2 vols. fol. in the German language. In 1714 he published also " Prodromus Architecturæ Goldmannianæ," and with it the prospectus of a new edition of Goldmann, which he produced in separate treatises from 1715 to 1721, the whole forming a "Complete course of Civil Architecture," in 16 vols. fol. printed at Augsburgh. This was thought the most comprehensive and perfect work of the kind that had ever appeared. Until that time no one had treated on the doctrine of the five orders of architecture with so much skill as Goldmann; his proportions were reckoned preferable to those of Scamozzi; more beautiful and elegant than those of Palladio, and more in conformity with the antique than those of Vignola.

In the mean time, while this work was going on, Sturmius filled the office of professor of mathematics at Wolfenbuttel, and it was there he published his "Sciagraphia Templi Hierosolymitani," in fol. In 1697 he obtained permission of the duke of Wolfenbuttel to travel, and went into the Netherlands and into France: the result of his observations, chiefly on subjects of architecture, he published in 1719, folio, with numerous plates, from his own designs. This work shows great skill in architecture, but, as his eulogist' is disposed to allow, a taste somewhat fastidious, and a wish to estimate all merit in the art by certain preconceived opinions of his own. In 1702 he was appointed professor of mathematics in the university of Francfort on the Oder. The king of France having promised a reward to the inventor of a sixth order of architecture, Sturmius, among others, made an attempt, which he called the German order, and which he intended to hold a middle rank between the Ionic and the Corinthian. It is unnecessary to add that no attempt of this kind has succeeded.

In the science of fortification, Sturmius acquired great fame. The celebrated general Coehorn was of opinion that no man understood the subject better, and that he only wanted to have the conduct of some siege in order to prove himself one of the ablest engineers of the age. In 1711 he left Francfort, for the honourable offices of counsellor of the chamber of finances, and director of the buildings at the court of Frederick William duke of Mecklenburgh. There he built the palace of Neustadt on the Elde,

which is acknowledged to be in a good taste, but it excited envy, and the duke having too easily listened to the prejudiced reports of some about him, Sturmius left his situa tion in 1713, and went to Hamburgh, where he employed some time in writing. While there he accepted the office of the duke of Brunswick to enter his service as first architect at Blanckenburgh, but did not enjoy that situation long. He died June 6, 1719, in the fiftieth year of his age. His mathematical and architectural works, not mentioned, were very numerous, but being mostly in the German language, are but little known. He also acquired reputation as a theologian, and had a controversy with certain Lutheran divines, in which persuasion he was originally bred up, on their peculiar notions respecting the Lord's supper.

STURT (JOHN), an engraver of some note, was born in London in 1653. At the age of seventeen he became the pupil of Robert White. His prints are exceedingly numerous, and prove him to have been a very industrious. man, but of no great genius. Indeed, the chief of his excellence lay in the engraving of letters, and the minuteness with which they were executed. His best work is the "Book of Common Prayer," which he engraved on silver plates. The top of every page is ornamented with a small historical vignette. Prefixed is the bust of George I. in a circle, and facing it the prince and princess of Wales. The peculiarity of this work is, that the lines of the king's face are expressed by writing, so small that few persons can read it without a magnifying glass, and that this writing consists of the Lord's prayer, the Ten Commandments, prayers for the royal family, and the 21st Psalm. This Common Prayer Book was published by subscription in London in 1717, 8vo, and was followed by a "Companion to the Altar" of the same size, and executed in the same manner. Sturt also engraved the Lord's Prayer within the area of a circle of the dimensions of a silver penny, and an elegy on queen Mary on so small a size that it might be set in a ring or locket. This last wonderful feat, which was announced in the Gazette, was performed in 1694. He was, however, a faithful copyist, as may be seen by the English translation of Pozzo's Perspective, published by James, in folio. When old and poor, for it does not appear that he had great success, he had a place 1 Bibl. Germanique, vol. XXVII. and XXXIV,

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offered him in the Charter-house, which he refused. He died in 1730, aged seventy-two. Lord Orford says, he received near 500l. of Mr. Anderson of Edinburgh, to engrave plates for his "Diplomata," but did not live to complete them,'

STYLE (WILLIAM), a law-writer, was an esquire's son, as Wood says, but probably the son of sir Humphrey Style, knt. and bart. whose family are buried in Beckenham in Kent. He was born in 1603, and became a gentlemancommoner of Brasenose college, Oxford, in 1618; but, as usual with gentlemen destined for the law, left the university without a degree, and went to the Inner Temple. He was afterwards called to the bar, but, according to Wood, 66 pleased himself with a retired and studious condition." He died in 1679, if he be the William Style buried that year at Beckenham, as Mr. Lysons conjectures with great probability. The most valued of his writings are his "Reports," published in 1658, folio, from the circumstance of being the only cases extant of the common law courts for several years in the time of the usurpation, during which sir Henry Rolle, and afterwards John Glynn, sat as chief justices of the upper bench. His other works are, "The Practical Register, or the Accomplished Attorney, 1657, 8vo, and "The Common Law epitomized, with directions how to prosecute and defend personal actions," 8vo. Wood also mentions a non-professional work, translated from the Latin of John Michael Delher, a name we are unacquainted with, under the title of "Contemplations, Sighs, and Groans of a Christian," Lond. 1640, 8vo, with a singular engraved title.'

1 Strutt's Dict.-Walpole's Anecdotes.

2 Ath. Ox. vol. II.—Bridgman's Legal Bibliography.-Lysons's Environs.

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INDEX

:

TO THE

TWENTY-EIGHTH VOLUME.

Those marked thus * are new.
Those marked † are re-written, with additions.

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