Volume 1

General biography, or, lives, critical and historical of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions / chiefly composed by John Aikin and the late Rev. William Enfield.

  • John Aikin
Date:
[1799-1851]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: General biography, or, lives, critical and historical of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions / chiefly composed by John Aikin and the late Rev. William Enfield. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    GENERAL BIOGRAPHY. A AAR A AGARD, Christian, a Danish poet, was born at Wibourg, in the year 1616. He was professor of poetry at Sora, and after- wards lecturer in theology at Ripen, in Jutland. Among other Latin poems, he wrote “ Threni Hyperborei,” [Lamentations of the North] published, in folio, in the year 1648, on the death of Christian IV. king of Denmark. Se- veral of his pieces are inserted in the second volume of “ Delicite Poetarum Danorum.” He died inrthe year 1664. Bartholini Biblioth. Septentr. Erud. Moreri.—E. AAGARD, Nicholas, brother of Chris- tian Aagard, was professor in the university at Sora, in Denmark, where he also occupied the office of librarian. He died in 1657, at the age of forty five years, and left behind him several philosophical and critical works, written in Latin ; among which are, “ A Treatise on Subterraneous Fires “ Dissertations on Ta- citus “ Observations on Ammianus Mar- cellinus and a “ Vindication of the Style of the New Testament.” Barthol. Bib/. Septsnt. Erud. Aforeri.—E. AARON, a Hebrew, of the tribe of Levi, the elder brother of Moses, was born about the year 1574 before Christ. Nothing is known concerning him, more than is recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, from which we learn the following particulars. Moses having been ap- pointed to rescue the Hebrews from their cap- tivity in Egypt, made choice of his brother Aaron as his associate in this undertaking; Being himself defective in the powers of speech, he thought it necessary to engage a colleague, VOL. 1. AAR who should be able to supply this defect. In the repeated interviews of Moses with Pha- raoh, king of Egypt, to obtain his permission for the departure of the Hebrews, and in his public communications with his countrymen, Aaron accompanied him, and “ spake for him to the king and to the people.” Aaron’s rod was a principal instrument in the wonders per- formed before Pharaoh. After Moses had ex- torted the king’s consent, when he led the He- brews out of Egypt and passed the Red Sea, Aaron accompanied him, and assisted him in the management of. this discontented people. In the course of their journey, Miriam, Aaron’s sister, jealous for the honour of the Hebrew race, remonstrated with Moses for having mar- ried an Ethiopian, and was seconded in the remonstrance by Aaron. While Moses was withdrawn from the people, receiving the law on Mount Sinai, they became exceedingly dis- satisfied at his absence, and, notwithstanding the wonderful events which had attended their deliverance from Egypt, requested Aaron to “ brake them gods, who should go before them.” Aaron complied with their request, and, from the - ear-rings which were found among the people, framed a golden calf, which they worshipped as the god who had rescued them from Egyptian bondage. In the law, delivered by Moses to the people, it was or- dained, that Aaron and his sons should be in- vested with the offices of priesthood. This grant excited much jealousy among the Israelites, and occasioned an insurrection, which was, how- ever, speedily suppressed. Aaron, 'who had 3