VOSS, GERARD JAN: Dutch humanist and theologian; b. near Heidelberg in the spring of 1577; d. at Amsterdam Mar. 17, 1649. He was educated at.the universities of Dort and Leyden (1595-98), where he wrote his first work, Oratio panegirica de felici expeditions exercitus faderatce Belgic&, duetu principis Mauritii (Leyden, 1597). In 1599 he began to lecture at Leyden on Aristotle, but within the year was called to Dort as rector of the Latin school; in 1615 he became regent of the college of the States-General at Leyden, and seven years later professor at the university of the same city, while from 1632 until his death he was professor at the University of Amsterdam. At Dort he published, in 1606, his six books of Institutiones oratorim At Leyden he abstained from the controversies between the Armenians and their adversaries, the Gomarists; thus drawing a storm of indignation upon himself, so that, in 1619, the curators of the university decided that both Voss and his assistant, Kaspar Barlfeus, should be removed from their positions. Voss' Theses theologim de varies doctrince Christianle capiti bus (Leyden, 1615) and Historice de controversies quas Pelagius ej2csque reliquite moverunt libri septent (Amsterdam, 1618) were regarded as containing views out of harmony with those of the contraRemonstrants, especially as Voss was known to be in sympathy with some points in the five articles of the Remonstrants. By resigning Voss escaped suspension, and the curators appointed him, in 1622, professor of oratory and chronology, transferring him to the chair of Greek three years later. In 1632 Voss accepted a call to the new university of Amsterdam, his inaugural address, De historice utilitate, following the lines laid down in his De historicis

228

Graecis libri quatuor (Leyden, 1624) and De historicis Latinis libri tres (1627). A complete edition of the works of Voss was published at Amsterdam in 1695-1701. As a grammarian he won distinction by his Ludolphi Lithocomi syntaxis Latina ex recen sione Vossii (1618), which remained for more than two centuries the standard Latin grammar in Hol land. In historical theology he treated the history of dogma, his chief works here being Dissertationes tres de tribes symbolic, apostobico, Athanasiano et Constantinopolitano (Amsterdam, 1642) and Libri. qualuor de theologies gentili et physiologic Christians, sine de origins et progressu idololatrice deque nature miresndis quibus homo adducitur ad Deum (1642); De baptismo disputationes vigiuti (Amsterdam, 1648). His Tractatus theologici appeared posthumously (1701). His letters were edited by P. Colomiea under the title Vossii et clarorum virorum ad sum epistolæ (Augsburg, 1691). His "Works" were collected in 6 vols., Amsterdam, 1695-1701. Of the eight children of Voss who reached ma turity, Matthaeus (b. about 1610; d. Jan. 20, 1646) was historian of the States-General of Holland and Zeeland; Dionysius (b. Mar. 11, 1612; d. Oct. 24, 1633) declined, in 1632, a professorship of history and rhetoric at Dorpat, and in the following year was appointed historiographer to the king of Swe den; and Gerard (b. 1619; d. Mar. 27, 1640) edited an excellent critical edition of Velleius Paterculus. The only son to survive his father was Isaac (b. 1618; d. Feb. 21, 1689), who was at first librarian at Amsterdam, and in 1648 became Greek tutor and librarian to Queen Christina of Sweden. In 1670 he went permanently to England, where he died as canon of Windsor.

(S. D. van Veen.)

Bibliography: C. E. Joeher, Allgemeines Gelehrtenlex%kon, iv. 1716 sqq., Leipsic, 1751; H. Tollius, Oratio de G. J. Vossio, Amsterdam, 1778; J. G. de Crane, De Voasiorum Juniorumque families, Franeker, 1820; M. Siegenbeek, Geachiedenis der Leidsche Hoopeachool, i. 108, ii. 110; Ley den, 1829-32; Illuatris Amsteiodami Athenwi Memorabilia, ed. D. J. van Lennep, pp. 79 sqq., Amsterdam, 1832; AL, xii. 1122-24: