Gemma, D. Cornelius, a well-known physician of Louvain (1535–1597) and son of the celebrated mathematician Gemma Frisius, is the author of the several works named at p. 854, Vol. XIX of the “Biographie Générale.” Of these, the most important is the “Cosmocritice, seu de naturæ divinis ... proprietatibus rerum” published at Antwerp in 1575.
References.—Foppens, “Bibliotheca Belgica”—“Biog. Médicale”; Linden (Joannes Antonides van der), “De scriptis medicis,” Amst., 1651, pp. 147–148; Gilbert, De Magnete, Book II. chap. iii.
Gemma, Frisius—Rainer—(1508–1555), above alluded to, besides being a mathematician was a medical practitioner. He wrote “De Principiis Astronomiæ et Cosmographiæ ...” Antwerp, 1530 (now of excessive scarcity and Chapters XXX-XXXI of which deal with America), as well as several other similar works published notably in 1539, 1545, 1548. These are standards of the Netherlands geographical schools, whose most brilliant representative was the well-known geographer, Gerard Mercator (1512–1594).
References.—“Biog. Générale,” Vol. XIX. p. 854; “La Grande Encycl.,” Vol. XVIII. p. 702; Houzeau et Lancaster, “Bibl. Gén.,” Vol. L. part i. p. 1405 and Vol. II. p. 148.
Goropius, Henricus Becanus—Jean Bécan—Jean Van Gorp (1518–1572), a Belgian savant who practised medicine at Antwerp and who attempted to prove, in his “Indo-Scythica,” that Adam’s language was the German or Teutonic. We are told by Gilbert, in the first book of De Magnete, that Goropius ascribes the invention of the compass to the Cimbri or Teutons, on the ground that the thirty-two names of the winds thereon inscribed are pronounced in German by all mariners, whether they be British or Spaniards, or Frenchmen.
References.—“Opera Joannis Goropii Becani,” Antwerp, 1570; Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. II. p. 457; “Biog. Générale,” Vol. V. pp. 70–71; and, for additional citations, as well as for mention of all his works, the “Grande Encyclopédie,” Vol. XIX.
Grotius, Hugo, the latinized form of the Dutch De Groot—a great theologian and jurist (1583–1645). His singular precocity attracted Joseph J. Scaliger, who undertook to direct his studies at the Leyden University, where it is said he achieved brilliant success in all studies.
One of his biographers remarks that, in the annals of precocious genius, there is no greater prodigy on record than Hugo Grotius, who was able to write good Latin verses at nine (1592), was ripe for the University at twelve (1595), and at the age of fifteen (1598), edited the Encyclopædic work of Martianus Capella—a writer of the fifth century—with the aid of his father, Jan de Groot, the Delft burgomaster. It might be added that, in 1597, he had delivered public discourses on mathematics, philosophy and jurisprudence; in 1598, he was so highly sought for everywhere, that he was asked to, and did, accompany Count Justin of Nassau and Olden Barneveldt on their special embassy to the French Court, and that, in 1599, he not only took his degree of doctor of law and pleaded his first cases before the Hague Courts, but was able, through his superior knowledge of mathematics, to translate into Latin Simon Stevin’s work on navigation. Later on, 1603, he was appointed historiographer of the United Provinces, becoming fiscal general in 1607 (also Council Pensionary at Rotterdam six years later), and during 1609, he published his first work “De Mare Liberum,” which was a treatise against the claims of the English to exclusive right over certain seas. This was followed in 1610 by “De Antiq. Reipub. Batavæ,” and some years afterwards by his chief work, “De Jure Belli et Pacis,” considered the basis of international law and freely translated into all the principal languages. Grotius is twice mentioned in Book IV. chap. ix. of De Magnete.
References.—Brandt et Cattenbuch, “Histoire de Hugo de Groot,” 1727; Burigny (J. Levêque de), “Vie de Grotius,” 1752; Cras (Hendrik Constantijn), “Laudatio Hugonis Grotii,” 1796; Dr. Fried. Ueberweg, “Hist. of Phil.,” (Morris tr., 1885, Vol. II. p. 31); Rogge (H. C.), “Bibliotheca Grotiana,” 1883; Kœnen (Hendrik Jakob), “Hugo Grotius,” 1837; “Chambers’s Encycl.,” Vol. V. pp. 431–432; “La Grande Encycl.,” Vol. XIX. pp. 451–452; “Biographisch Woordenbock,” J. G. Frederiko en F. J. Van den Branden, Amsterdam, pp. 301–302; Larousse (Pierre), “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. VIII. p. 1556, giving list of his many works; Butler (C.), “Life of Grotius,” London, 1826; Creuzer (Georg Friedrich), “Luther und Grotius,” Heidelberg, 1846; “Biog. Générale,” Vol. XXII. pp. 197–216 for a complete record of all his works.
Hali Abas—‘Ali Ibn Al-‘Abbás—Al Majusí—celebrated Arabian physician, whose death occurred about A.D. 995, is author of “Ketab-el-Maleki,” i. e. the “Royal Book”—Liber Regius—in which he pretends to give all that was then known concerning medicine. Mr. Adams explains (Appendix, “Barker’s Lemprière,” London, 1838), that he considers the “Royal Book” as the most complete ancient treatise that has reached us on medicine, and the sciences generally, with exception of the Synopsis of Paulus Ægenita. The Latin translation of this work, given in 1127 by Stephanus Antiochenus, was first printed in Venice, 1492, then at Lyons in 1523.