Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/184

 I 4 8 A L E A N D E R. thraeus often paid him on this account, may not improperly be mentioned : *' When I read your works," iaid he, " I thinic " myfelf a learned man ; but when I read thofe of fome " others who affecT: to be eloquent, I think myfelf very ig- " norant, for I underftand not what they write." ALEGAMBE (PHILIP), a Flemifh Jefuit, born at Bruffels the 22d of January, 1592, was trained in polite lite- rature in his own country. He went afterwards to Spain, and entered into the fervice of the duke of Offuna, whom he attended to Sicily, when the duke went there as viceroy. Alegambe, being inclined to a religious life, took the habit of a Jefuit at Palermo, the yth of September, 1613, where he went through his probation, and read his cqurfe of philofopby. He purfued his ftudy of divinity at Rome, whence he was fent to Auftria, to teach philofophy in theuniverfity of Gratz. Having difcharged the duties of this function to the fatisfac- tion of his fuperiors, he was chofen proftffor of fchool-divi- nity, and promoted in form to the do&orfhip in 1629. About this time the prince of Eggemberg, who was in high favour with the emperor Ferdinand II. having refolved that his fon fhould travel, and being defirous he fhould be attended by fome learned and prudent Jefuit, Alegambe was judged a proper perfon ; and he accordingly travelled with him five years, vifuing Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. In 1638, the young prince with whom he travelled, being appointed by the emperor Ferdinand III. embaffador of obe- dience to the pope, invited Alegambe to go with him, who accordingly accompanied him to Rome, in quality of his con- feflbr. After he had difcharged this office, the general of the Jefuits retained him as fecretary of the Latin difpatches for Germany. Alegambe, having fpent four years in the dif- charge of this laborious office, was obliged to refign it, the continual application to writing having confiderabiy weaken- Sotuel, e( j ijj s fight. He was now appointed prefident of fpiritual Scriptls'oc. affairs in the profefled houfe, and had the office alfo of Jem, Rom* hearing confeffions in the church, in which capacity he 1675, folio, aC q U itied himfelf with great honour. He died of the dropfy p. 706, &c. at & ome> t he 6th of September, 1652. Me was reputed an excellent writer, though he wrote but few books [A], ALENIO TA] All the Jefuit Sotuel allows to 2. " Vita P. Joar.nis Cardin, I.ufita- behis, arethefe-/ " ni, ex focietate Jefu, Roma: 1649, I. ' Bihliotheca fcriptoram focietatis " in ' 2 ' . Jefii, Antwerpise, 1643," ' n ^' l< ^ 3- " Heroes et viftimae charitatis " focictstii