Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/384

 38O LOM BARD. year following, in June 1695, and was buried in St. Pa trick's church, Dublin. Mr. Loftus's greatest excellence lay in the knowledge of various languages, especially the oriental; and it is said, that when only twenty years of age, he was able to translate as many languages into English. Among Arch bishop Usher's letters is one from him to that prelate, which, although short, shews his avidity to search out oriental books and MS.; as well as his high respect and gratitude to Usher, who first directed his attention to the treasures of the Bodleian library. Yet his character, in other respects, does not correspond with his parts or learn ing. He was accounted, says Harris, an improvident and unwise man, and his many levities and want of conduct gave the world too much reason to think so. The same biographer mentions “a great, but free-spoken prelate,” who said of Mr. Loftus, that “he never knew so much learning in the keeping of a fool.” His learning, indeed, and his industry appear very evident by his many writings. Besides the AEthiopic New testament which he translated into Latin, at the request of Usher and Selden, for the Polyglot, and which procured him from Walton the character of “vir doctissi mus, tam generis prosapia, quam linguarum orientalium scientia, nobilis,” he published a multitude of learned tracts, a correct list of which may be found in Harris's edition of Ware. DR. PETER LOMBARD. This learned Catholic was the son of a respectable mer chant at Waterford, where he was born about 1566. He received the rudiments of his education in Ireland, from whence he was sent to Westminster school, over which the celebrated Camden presided, and from thence to Oxford. He took no degrees in the university, but Pro ceeded to Louvain, where, after passing through his courses of philosophy and divinity, he received the degree