76? 



MELANCHTHON MELCMTHAL. 



will of mail must and could co-operate in his improve- 

 ment, as all will perceive who read his works witli 

 attention. His habit of continually advancing- in 

 his researches, and correcting his opinions, had, un- 

 questionably, a greater share in this change than his 

 natural timidity and love of peace ; although, from 

 the last cause, he often used milder language than 

 was agreeable to the rigid Lutherans ; but that from 

 fear of man, or a weak spirit of compliance, he ever 

 yielded in any essential point of evangelical truth, 

 cannot be maintained. The introduction of the 

 Augsburg Interim into Saxony, in which, after long 

 deliberation, Melanchthon acquiesced in J 549, under 

 conditions which averted the danger of a relapse 

 into ancient abuses, seemed, to the more zealous, the 

 most fitting occasion of assailing him. The vexatious 

 disputes respecting the greater or less importance of 

 indifferent matters, considered in religious ceremon- 

 ies, in which he was involved by Flacius ; the com- 

 plaints which Osiander urged against him, in 1557, 

 on account of his doctrine of justification; and, finally, 

 the controversies respecting the co-operation of free 

 will in man's improvement, in which Flacius engaged 

 him shortly before his death, brought great trouble 

 on his over-laboured and sensitive spirit. The in- 

 vestigation of his orthodoxy, which was instituted at 

 Naumberg, in 1554, resulted in his entire justifica- 

 tion ; but the reconciliation which took place there 

 with his enemies, was, nevertheless, merely apparent; 

 and their opposition frustrated the last attempt, 

 which he made in 1557, at a convention at Worms, 

 in the name of his party, to produce a compromise 

 with the Catholics. The unity of the church was, 

 therefore, Melanchthon's last wish, when he died at 

 Wittenberg, April 19, 1560, sixty-three years of 

 age. 



A son survived him, who inherited the virtues but 

 not the genius of his father, and a daughter, married 

 in Wittenberg. His eldest daughter died in 1547; 

 his wife, in 1557. The over-anxious mind of this 

 good and amiable woman had often saddened his 

 domestic peace ; but he was nowhere more amiable 

 than in the bosom of his family. Modesty and 

 humility were exhibited in his bodily appearance. 

 No one, who saw him for the first time, would have 

 recognised the great reformer, in his almost diminu- 

 tive figure, which always continued meagre, from his 

 abstemiousness and industry. But his high, arched, 

 and open forehead, and his bright, handsome eyes, 

 announced the energetic, lively mind, which this 

 slight covering enclosed, and which lighted up his 

 countenance when he spoke. In his conversation, 

 pleasantries were intermingled with the most saga- 

 cious remarks, and no one left him without having 

 been instructed and pleased. He loved to see 

 society at his table, and was so liberal towards the 

 needy, that he sometimes involved himself in embar- 

 rassments. His ready benevolence, which was the 

 fundamental trait of his character, embraced all who 

 approached him. Open and unsuspicious, he always 

 spoke from the heart ; piety, a dignified simplicity, 

 and innocence of manners, generosity and candour, 

 were to him so natural, that it was difficult for him 

 to ascribe opposite qualities to any man ; often 

 deceived and abused, he was long in learning the 

 arts and ignoble passions which so often stood in the 

 way of his best intentions. But this unsuspecting, 

 benevolent character, gained him the devoted love 

 of his disciples. From all the countries of Europe, 

 students flocked to Wittenberg, in order to assemble 

 around him ; and the spirit of profound and impar- 

 tial investigation which he inculcated, had a bene- 

 ficial influence long after his death ; and his exertions 

 to promote education in general are never to be for- 

 gotten. If, therefore, stronger energies and greater 



deeds must be allowed to other distinguished men of 

 his age, he will always be considered the most umi- 

 able, pure, and learned. 



MELANGES (French, signifying miscellanies;) 

 particularly used iq French literature on the titles of 

 miscellaneous works, as Melanges (ires dune grande 

 Bibliotheyue (70 vols., Paris, 17791788.) 



MELANITE. See Garnet. 



MEL AS (Greek, Hack); a word which, entire or 

 abbreviated, appears in many compound words used 

 in English, as melancholy ; chiefly, however, scien- 

 tific terms, botanical, zoological, mineralogical, and 

 medical names. 



MEL AS; an Austrian general, who, in 1793 and 

 1794, was employed as major-general, and then as 

 lieutenant field-marshal on the Sambre, and in the 

 country of Treves. In 1795, he was removed to 

 the army of the Rhine, and, in March, 179(i, to that 

 of Italy, which he commanded for a short time, and 

 afterwards served under different generals, who suc- 

 ceeded him. In 1799, he was at the head of the 

 Austrian army, which acted in concert with the 

 Russians under Suwarrow. He distinguished him- 

 self at the battle of Cassano ; was present at those 

 of Trebia and Novi ; beat Championnet at Genola 

 (November 3), and took Coni. In 1800, he lost the 

 battle of Marengo. He died in 1807. 



MELASSES. See Molasses. 



MELCARTHUS. See Hercules. 



MELCHISEDEK (i. e. king of righteousness) is 

 called, in Genesis (xiv. 18), king of Salem, ui\& priest 

 of the Most High God. He is there said to have 

 offered Abram bread and wine, after the victory of 

 the latter over the four kings, to have blessed him, 

 and to have received tithes of the booty. Jesus is 

 called (Heb. vi. 20 ; vii. 1 22) a high priest, after 

 the order of Melchisedek. The meaning of this 

 expression, and the dignity, kingdom, &c., of Mel- 

 chisedek, are not satisfactorily explained by critics. 



MELCHITES (Syrian, Royalists) was the name 

 given, in the sixth and seventh centuries, to those 

 Oriental Christians who, in compliance with the 

 imperial orders, submitted to the decrees of the 

 council of Chalcedon. (q. v.) It was, at a later 

 period, given to the Jacobites in Mesopotamia, and 

 to the Copts in Egypt, who were united with the 

 Roman church. 



MELCHTHAL, ARNOLD OF (so called from the 

 place of his residence in the canton of Underwalden); 

 one of the founders of the freedom of Switzerland. 

 The governor of the district, under Albert of Aus- 

 tria, having caused a yoke of oxen to be taken from 

 the plough of Arnold's father, a rich proprietor, the 

 menial of the tyrant added the words, " The peasants 

 may drag the plough themselves, if they want bread." 

 Arnold, exasperated by the insult, wounded the ser- 

 vant, and saved himself by flight ; but his father 

 experienced the vengeance of the governor, who 

 deprived him of sight. Arnold now conspired with 

 two friends, Furst and Stauffarcher, and all three 

 bound themselves by an oath, on a night of Novem- 

 ber, 1307, at Grutlin (Rutli), on the banks of the 

 lake of Waldstetter (see Lucerne), to effect the 

 deliverance of their country. They promised each 

 in his own canton to defend the cause of the people, 

 and, with the assistance of the communes, to restore 

 it, at every sacrifice, to the enjoyment of its rights. 1 1 

 was expressly agreed not to injure the count of Haps- 

 burg in his possessions and his rights, not to separate 

 from the German empire, and not to deny their dues 

 to the abbeys, or the nobles. They were to avoid, 

 as far as possible, shedding the blood of the terri- 

 torial officers, since their only object was to secure 

 to themselves and their posterity the freedom 

 inherited from their forefathers. See Switzerland. 



