speedy dissolution; and he expired on the 14th of that month, in the seventy-third year of his age.

Mr. Orme was not known to be married, even to those who were most in his confidence; but in a letter from him to a particular friend, which, agreeably to the directions he left, was delivered according to its address, after his death, he acknowledges his marriage: and, in consequence of that acknowledgment, the court of directors settled at small annuity on his widow. He left no children.

Mr. Orme was somewhat above the middle stature, and his countenance expressed much shrewdness and intelligence. In his personal habits he seems not to have had any striking peculiarities. His general manner was sensible, easy, and polite. Of the qualities of his heart, those who knew him long and intimately thought very highly. He was zealous in the service of those whom he really loved but as it was not his custom to make professions of friendship, his acts sometimes surpassed expectations. His powers of conversation were very considerable; and such was the extent of his knowledge, the readiness of his thoughts, and the facility of his expression, that he generally illustrated, in a pleasing, often in a forcible, manner, whatever subject he talked on. Ancient literature was

:

one of his favourite topics; and he conversed on it with no common degree of learning and critical exactness, yet without any sort of pedantry or affectation. He loved to talk of music and painting, and was a good judge of both.

A

With respect to his intellectual character, it would appear, from his life as well as his writings, that the principal features were good sense, sagacity, and judgment. These qualities were assisted in their operation by an active spirit, a solicitous curiosity, and a cultivated taste. mind thus constituted readily acquired that power of combining circumstances in lucid order, and of relating them with compressive force, which distinguishes the writings of Orme. Few historians have connected the events of their story with more perspicuity, or related them with more conciseness. If he is sometimes minute, he is never redundant, and never tedious. Every incident is so distinctly stated and clearly arranged; every new nation or individual is introduced with so compendious an explanation; all the observations arise from the facts with so much propriety, and are in themselves so forcible and just; and the general style has so much simplicity and terseness; that every

reader of discernment and taste must feel a strong interest in perusing his history. It is not, indeed, illumined with philosophical views of society, or manners, or civil institutions, or arts, or commerce; nor is it adorned with any fine delineations of character; but it is, nevertheless, a work of great merit, and must continue to hold, a high place in the second rank of historical compositions.

He bequeathed to his friend and executor, Mr. Robarts, all his MSS. and a variety of other valuable historical materials, with a wish that he would present them to the East India company, which has been done, and the following catalogue drawn up by Mr. Wilkins, the Company's librarian: 1. Printed books.-Fifty-one volumes, containing one hundred and ninety tracts on the subject of India, and the Honourable Company's affairs, from about the year 1750 down to the year 1788. 2. Manuscript books.-Two hundred and thirty-one volumes of various sizes, chiefly bound in vellum, containing a vast body of information upon the subject of India, in copies which Mr. Orme had permission to make from the records and collections of others, and in original documents, common-place, &c. with many useful Indexes. 3. Eight bundles of letters, chiefly from Madras and Bombay, upon the subject of the Company's transactions in India. 4. Printed maps, charts, plans, and views; twenty rolls, consisting chiefly of foul and spare. impressions of the plates used for Mr. Orme's history. 5. Twenty rolls, containing sundry maps and plans. 6. Thirtyfive books, containing maps, plans, and views. 7. Four port folios, ditto ditto. 8. Manuscript plans and maps; seventeen rolls of plans and maps, chiefly the originals of those engraved for Mr. Orme's History. 9. Hindoo idols; six figures in brass, representing some of the principal emblems of the divine attributes, according to their mythology. After his death his "Historical Fragments" were reprinted in a quarto volume, with the addition of a paper on the "Origin of the English Establishment, and of the Company's Trade," and another, containing "A General' Idea of the Genius and People of Hindostan." To this volume is prefixed an account of the life and writings of the author, to which our readers are referred for farther information.'

1 Life as above.-Asiatic Annual Register, vol. IV.-Gent. Mag. vol. LXXII. Boswell's Johnson.-Nichols's Bowyer.

ORMEROD (OLIVER), a polemical writer of the time of James I. was descended paternally from a Lancashire family, which assumed the name of an estate in that county, in the reign of Henry III. of which it still continues the possession. His grandfather, John Ormerod, a younger brother of this house, married a Lancashire lady of the name of Whitaker, who from the contiguity of the estate of Ormerod and Holme, was most probably of the family of the Whitakers of the latter place. It is not unlikely that this relationship to the learned divinity-professor of Cambridge, might influence the subject of this article in his choice of his university, and in his theological studies.

He was admitted of Emmanuel college, Cambridge, June 6, 1596, and in 1605 published, while a resident there, a small quarto entitled "The Picture of a Puritan, or a relation of the opinions, qualities, and practices of the Anabaptists in Germanie, and of the Puritans in England." In this work he traces the affinities of the sects, and defends the protestant establishment of Elizabeth, in a series of dialogues, written with all the quaintness of the day, but uniformly displaying a vigorous understanding, and occasionally rising into a strain of considerable loftiness. The work is replete with classical allusions, and his notes exhibit a deep knowledge of the fathers, schoolmen, and other abstruse writers.

The next year he published "The Picture of a Papist," in the same style, deducing the superstitions of the Romish church from the rites of paganism. In this work he denies himself to be the author of a book called "The double PP. or the picture of a traiterous Jesuit:" as also of some other things, which the papists had fathered upon him*. The work is dedicated to Robert earl of Salisbury, chancellor of the university, and both were reprinted together in 1606, 8vo.

His labours were rewarded by the valuable rectory of Huntspill in Somersetshire: where he continued resident, at the visitation of that county by the proxies of Camden in 1623. In this place he died, in 1626, leaving issue one son Richard, born in 1619, and three daughters, by his wife Johanna, daughter of Richard Hinckson, esq.

* He adds, "Were I worthy to give myne advice to those that are in authority, those that did publish any such phantastical books hereafter, as the

double PP is, should have for their pains, either a single Greek II, or at the least nigrum theta !"

of Goham in Kent, who survived him to 1638. Their wills are extant in the Prerogative office in London.'

OROBIO (BALTHASAR, or ISAAC), a famous Spanish Jew, was carefully educated in that religion by his parents, who were Jews, though they outwardly professed themselves Roman catholics; abstaining from the practice of Judaism in every thing, except only the observation of the fast of expiation, in the month Tisis, or September. Our author studied the scholastic philosophy as it was then taught in Spain, and became such an adept that he was made professor of metaphysics in the university of Salamanca: but, afterwards applying himself to the study of physic, he practised that art at Seville with success, till, being accused of Judaism, he was thrown into the inquisition, and suffered the most dreadful cruelties, in order to force him to confess. According to his own account, he was put into a dark dungeon, so straight, that he could scarce turn himself in it; and suffered so many hardships, that his brain began to be disturbed. He frequently asked himself, "Am I indeed that Don Balthasar Orobio, who walked freely about in Seville, who was entirely at ease, and had the blessings of a wife and children !" sometimes imagining that his past life was only a dream, and that the dungeon where he then lay was his true birth-place, and to all appearance would prove the place of his death. At other times, he used to form metaphysical arguments, and resolve them, acting the three different parts of opponent, respondent, and moderator, at the same time. In this whimsical way he diverted himself from time to time, but when examined by the inquisitors, constantly denied that he was a Jew. At length he was put to the torture, in the most cruel manner, yet without extorting any confession from him, and his tormentors, after three years' confinement, finding themselves baffled by his perseverance, ordered his wounds to be cured, and so discharged him. As soon as he had got his liberty, he resolved to quit the Spanish dominions; and, going to France, was made professor of physic at Thoulouse. The theses, which he made as candidate for this place, were upon putrefaction; and he maintained them with such a metaphysical subtlety as em

1 Obligingly communicated by a descendant, who gives the following authorities: Whitaker's "Whalley," Visit. Somerset. 1623, and Ormerod pedigree in Coll. Arm. Cole's Admissions.-Cole MSS, vol. L. and MS Athenæ Cantab. in the British Museum,

barrassed all his competitors. He continued in this city some time, still outwardly professing the popish religion : but at last, growing weary of dissembling, he repaired to Amsterdam, where he was circumcised, took the name of Isaac, and professed Judaism; still continuing here also to practise physic, in which he was much esteemed. Upon the publication of Spinoza's "Tractatus Theologico-Poli-ticus," he saw its fallacy, but did not think it worthy of an answer, until Bredenbergh, who had at one time written a confutation of it, published another treatise as objectionable as that of Spinosa's. Orobio then took up his pen against both the authors, and published a piece to that purpose, entitled "Certamen philosophicum adversus J. B. principia," 1684, 4to. But the dispute which he held with the celebrated Philip Limborch against the Christian religion (see LIMBORCH), did him most credit, on the score of acuteness, moderation, and temper. The three papers which he wrote on the occasion were afterwards printed by his antagonist, in an account which he pub lished of the controversy, under the title of " Amica collatio cum Judæo, &c." Orobio died in 1687,'

ORONTIUS. See FINEUS.

OROSIUS (PAUL), a learned Spanish ecclesiastic, flourished in the fifth century, and was born at Tarragona in Catalonia. He was a disciple of St. Augustin; and, in the year 414, was sent to Africa by Eutropius and Paul, two Spanish bishops, to solicit Augustin's assistance against heretics who infested their churches. He continued a year with this doctor, and in that time made a great proficiency in the knowledge of the Scriptures. In the year 415, Augustin dispatched him to Jerusalem, to consult St. Jerom upon the origin of the soul; and Orosius on his return. brought into Africa the relics of the martyr St. Stephen; whose body, as well as those of Nicomedes, of Gamaliel, and his son Abiba, had been found during Orosius's residence in Palestine. At length, by the advice of Augustin, our author undertook the history we have of his in seven books, under the title, as is said, of "Miseria humana;" containing an account of the wars, plagues, earthquakes, floods, conflagrations, thunder and lightning, murder, and other crimes, which had happened from the beginning of the world to the year of Christ 416. The purpose of it

1 Chaufepie.-Moreri.