Electionum Jure, ad Ecclesix Romanæ Rein- and philosopher, was born at Paris in 2 tegrationem;" in which he maintained that the In his youth he resolved to go to the Indies to elections of bishops belong of right to the seek his fortune; but the ship in which he sailed clergy and people, and argued acutely, but at being taken by the English, he was brought to the same time violently and abusively, against London, where he subsisted himself for some the nominations of kings and princes. For time by teaching French. On his return to his publishing this book he was prosecuted before own country he obtained the post of preceptor to the parliament of Aix, who in the year 1596 mademoiselle de Blois, afterwards duchess of decreed that it should be burnt by the hands of Orleans. He afterwards became almoner to the the common executioner, and, after depriving duchess, secretary to the duke of Maine, and the author of his see, condemned him to ba- was presented to the abbacy of St. Vilmer, in nishment from the kingdom, prohibiting his the diocese of Boulogne. He entered the French return to it on pain of death. Afterwards they academy in 1698, and died at Paris in 1719. permitted him to retire to his priory at Semur, The abbé Genest, though a courtier, was sinwhere he died in 1597, when little more than cere and simple in his manners, and estimable sixty years of age. His numerous writings, though in his character. He derived a taste for natusome of them reflect little credit on his judg- ral philosophy from the lectures of Rohault, ment, and less on his temper, yet shew him to the disciple of Descartes, and for metaphysics have been a person of considerable erudition, from the conversation of Bossuet. A love for particularly in biblical and rabbinical lore, of poetry and polite literature was natural to him. very extensive reading, and of laborious indus- He composed various works, of which some of try. For the titles of the greater part of them the principal are: "Principes de Philosophie," we must refer our readers to the first of our 1716, 8vo.; an elaborate performance in verse, subjoined authorities, and only notice the fol- in which the cartesian system is explained, and lowing: "A Sacred Chronology," 8vo. more proofs are adduced of the existence of a God, exact than any which had at that time appeared; and the immortality of the soul: its versifi"Notes upon the Scripture;" " A Commen- cation is more praised than its poetical spirit: tary upon the Psalms," 1577, 8vo. in which "Occasional Pieces of Poetry" "A Disserthe author particularly applies himself to recon- tation upon Pastoral, in Prose:" several tracile the Hebrew text with the vulgar Latin; "A gedies; of these, the only one which has kept Translation of the Canticles into Iambic Verse;" possession of the stage is "Penelope :" the "Three Books concerning the Holy Trinity," sentiments of this tragedy are so moral, that 1569, 8vo; Latin translations from the Hebrew the rigid Bossuet did not scruple to declare of the "Seder Olam Rabba," and the "Seder that he should give his approbation to pubOlam Zuta," or the Greater and Lesser Chrono- lic spectacles, were the pieces represented logy of the Jews; " A Discourse against Joseph always equally pure. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Abo, David Kimchi, and another Jew, who Hist.-A. opposed some Articles of the Christian Religion," 1566; translations of David Kimchi's treatise On the Measure of Hebrew Verse," of "Commentaries on the Canticles by R. R. Salomon Jarchi, Abraham Aben Ezra, and an anonymous Author," and of "Extracts from Maimonides, Elias Levita, Jacob Ben Solomon, &c.;"" An Introduction to the Reading of Hebrew and the other Eastern Languages without Points;" "Notes upon the Hebrew Grammar;" translations from the Greek into Latin of several "Liturgies," of " A Treatise of Zecharias Mitylenensis against the Philosophers who say that the World is eternal," of Origen's "Philocalia, &c. ;" an edition of "Origen's Works," with a Latin version, 1578; and a translation into French of "The Works of Josephus," in two vols. 8vo. Dupin. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M. GENEST, CHARLES-CLAUDE, a French poet VOL. IV. GENET, FRANCIS, a French prelate and esteemed casuist, was born at Avignon in the year 1640. He pursued his studies in his native place, and, after going through his classical course, entered on that of philosophy, in which for a time he was a disciple of Scotus, but afterwards relinquished his system, and became zealously attached to the philosophy and theology of Aquinas. He also applied to the study of the canon law, and was admitted to the degree of doctor in civil and canon law at Avignon, in 1670; on which occasion he acquired much reputation by the theses which he maintained against simony. The abilities which he discovered recommended him to the notice of cardinal Grimaldi, archbishop of Aix, who for some time made use of his talents in the management of the ecclesiastical concerns of his metropolitan district. Afterwards he was employed by M. le Camus, bishop of Grenoble, 3 A in a celebrated visitation which that prelate appointed to take place through his diocese, in which M. Genet's province was to resolve the cases of conscience which should be proposed. The manner in which he conducted himself in this business, induced M. le Camus to engage him on the composition of a system of moral theology. To this work M. Genet devoted much time and labour, and produced it, at different periods, in six volumes 12mo. under the title of "Morale de Grenoble." It has undergone various impressions, of which the best was published in the year 1715, in eight volumes 12mo. A Latin translation of it was published in the year 1702, by the abbé Genet, the author's brother, and himself the author of "Cases of Conscience relative to the Sacraments." The "Morale de Grenoble" has been condemned by the more relaxed casuists, as much too strict and severe; but it met, nevertheless, with a very favourable reception in France, where it was read with great approbation, as well as in Italy and other catholic countries. Soon after its publication pope Innocent XI. created the author canon and prebend of the cathedral church at Avignon; and in the year 1685 appointed him bishop of Vaison. His episcopal functions he discharged with exemplary watchfulness and diligence until they were interrupted in the year 1688, in consequence of his having ventured to receive into his diocese the religious belonging to a new convent at Toulouse, which Lewis XIV. had suppressed. This act exposed him to the resentment of the king, by whose order he was arrested, and confined prisoner for fifteen months in the isle of Rhe; whence he was released at the particular request of the pope. He was He was accidentally drowned in 1702, when he had just completed his sixty-second year. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M. GENGHIS-KAN. See ZINGIS. GENNADIUS I. patriarch of Constantinople in the fifth century. He was first ordained a presbyter of the Constantinopolitan church, from which situation he was elected to the patriarchal dignity in the year 458, on the death of Anatolius. He employed himself with great zeal and disinterestedness in correcting the relaxed state of discipline which prevailed in his see. In a council of seventy-three bishops which he held in the year 459, he procured the passing of a canon against simoniacal ordinations; and by means of Marcian, whom he appointed steward of his diocese, established the equitable regulation, that the oblations made in the respective churches, which it had been customary to claim for the patriarch's treasury, should thenceforward belong to the officiating clergy. He died in the year 471. Gennadius, the priest of Marseilles, places him among the ecclesiastical writers, and passes encomiums on the quickness of his parts, the extent of his learning, and the elegance of his style. He says, that our patriarch was the author of "A Commentary' upon the whole of the Book of Daniel, and of several "Homilies." These writings, however, are no longer extant; and no remains of this prelate have reached modern times, excepting "A Synodal Epistle" against simony, inserted in the fourth volume of the "Collect. Concil. ;" and two fragments, one from a letter or treatise against the anathemas of Cyril of Alexandria, quoted by Facundus bishop of Hermiana, lib. ii. cap. 4., and the other from a treatise addressed to Parthenius, and quoted by Leontius in his common-places concerning the origin of the soul. Cave's Hist. Lit. vol. I. sub sæc. Nest. Dupin. Moreri.-M. GENNADIUS II. patriarch of Constantinople in the fifteenth century, whose original name was GEORGE SCOLARIUS, which he changed upon embracing the ecclesiastical life. He appears to have been a native of that city, where he received his education, and attracted much notice by his shining talents, and his proficiency in the different branches of solid and ornamental literature. His abilities recommended him to employment at court, where he rose to the office of secretary to the emperor John Palæologus, and was afterwards appointed chief judge of the Greeks. In the year 1438 he accompanied the emperor when he went into Italy, to meet the council of Florence, for the purpose of bringing about an union between the Greek and Latin churches. At that time Scholarius appears not to have been averse to such a measure, provided that it could be brought about on honourable terms; but that he was so zealous for it upon the conditions to which the emperor was willing to submit, as has been represented by many catholic writers, and that he was the author of several pieces in favour of the Latins and against his own communion, which have been attributed to him, is not only unsupported by the most authentic documents of the times, but totally irreconcileable with the whole of his subsequent conduct. These points have been much agitated; and in Fabricius, and Cave, as quoted below, the reader may find particular details of what has been advanced by writers on both sides. After the return of Scholarius to Constantinople, he united with Mark of Ephesus in strongly opposing the reception of those terms of union to which the emperor had acceded, both by his personal influence, and by his writings; which brought on him the displeasure of the emperor, who was nevertheless reconciled to him before his death. He also composed many homilies, which were delivered before the emperor, not as sermons, but as orations, which laymen were in that age accustomed to pronounce in the imperial dining-room. When, after the death of John Palæologus in 1448, his brother Constantine ascended the throne, and was desirous of establishing the union decreed at Florence, in order that he might obtain that assistance against the Turks from pope Nicholas V. which the pontiff would not grant upon any other terms, Scholarius still resisted that measure, and supported the Greek clergy in their disputes with the papal legates, and drew up various treatises in defence of their cause. At length, finding that the emperor was determined to establish the union by force, and entertaining apprehensions for his own safety, he resolved to relinquish his civil employments, and to embrace the ecclesiastical life. Accordingly, in 1449 or 1450, after sending a valedictory oration to the emperor, he entered into a monastery adjoining to Constantinople; on which occasion, in conformity to a custom prevalent among the Greeks, he changed his name, and adopted that of Gennadius. In this and other monasteries he continued secluded from all intercourse with the public for about two years, probably in consequence of directions from the emperor, that he might not by his influence or advice impede the steps which he was pursuing to conclude the union. During this time he composed several homilies, but did not engage in any ecclesiastical controversies, until Isidore, cardinal of Russia, arrived at Constantinople in the year 1452, to put the last hand to the union, in the character of papal legate. This circumstance called forth Gennadius's zeal on behalf of the Greek church with renovated spirit, and induced him to write letters to all the ecclesiastics of Constantinople, and to different monastic orders, exhorting them to adhere to the faith of their ancestors, and not to submit to the Florentine union; and he also wrote to the emperor, strongly dissuading him from persevering in a plan which would throw his capital into confusion, at a time when the most perfect concord among the inhabitants was necessary to enable them to repulse their external enemies. The emperor, however, by the force of his authority, caused the union to be signed, notwithstanding the great opposition that was made to it, and endeavoured, by persuasions and threatenings, to obtain the submis sion of Gennadius, knowing the effect which his example would have upon the people and clergy of Constantinople. But Gennadius was immoveable, and by his writings excited the popular resentment in the highest degree against an act, which he represented to be a desertion of the cause of God and his truth. It belongs to the province of the historian to give an account of the disturbances and seditions by which Constantinople was consequently distracted, and which raged with the utmost violence even when the Turkish army carried on the siege of the city, and were among the principal causes that contributed to its subjugation and ruin. After the capture of Constantinople in 1453, the sultan Mahomet, desirous of conciliating those inhabitants who had survived the immense slaughter made by his army, and of recalling the Greeks, who had escaped, to their deserted houses, ordered Gennadius to be sought for, and offered him to the choice of the clergy and people, by whom he was unanimously elected their patriarch. On this occasion Mahomet, from motives of policy, directed that all the ancient ceremonies should be observed, and after delivering with his own hands the cross to the prelate, had him conducted to the patriarchal palace with the customary pomp and magnificence. Afterwards he admitted Gennadius to several audiences, in which he entered into conversation with him, and suffered him to produce the arguments which he had to advance in support of the truth of Christianity. Our patriarch had presided over the see of Constantinople between five and six years, when, harassed by the inquietudes which the new order of things produced, and hopeless of seeing the Greek church restored to order and peace, he with difficulty obtained the sultan's permission to resign his dignity, and retired into a monastery. He died about the year 1460. Dupin's judgment of him is, that he wrote with ease, abounds in words, is noble in his expressions, and solid in his reasonings; and Mosheim characterises his controversial pieces against the Latins, as exhibiting more learning, candour, and perspicuity, than the productions of his countrymen of the same description. He was the author of "An Explanation of the Christian Faith, delivered before the Turkish Emperor Mahomet," inserted in Greek, Latin, and Turkish, in Crusius's "Turco-Græcia," lib. ii., and in Greek and Latin in David Chytræus's "De Statu Ecclesiarum in Græcia," a book containing "Articles of Faith," addressed to the same emperor, in the form of a dialogue between a Turk and the patriarch, which is inserted in the "Ha resiologia," published at Basil 1556, and separately edited at Helmstadt, 1611, 8vo.; "A Treatise concerning Predestination," first edited in Greek by David Hæchelius, 1593, 4to., and afterwards in Greek and Latin by Fred. Morell, and subjoined to the " Appendix to the Works of St. Basil," Paris, 1618, &c.; " A Treatise on the Doctrine of the Trinity," published in Greek and Latin by Aldus Manutius, 1501, 4to.; and other pieces which have been interpolated, the titles of which, together with those of others, either doubtful, or manifestly supposititious, and the arguments for and against their genuineness, the reader may meet with in Fabricius and Cave. In those authors, likewise, are enumerated a vast number of letters, orations, homilies, theological dissertations, controversial tracts, &c. which still remain in MS. in different public libraries. Fabricii Bibl. Græc. vol. X. lib. v. cap. 43. Cave's Hist. Lit. vol. II. sub sac. Synod. Dupin. Mereri. Mosh. Hist. Eccl. Sac. XV.-M. work was for a long time attributed to St. Augustine, and was generally inserted in the editions of his works. It was separately printed with the learned notes of Elmonhorstius at Hamburgh, in 1614, 4to. Of the time of the author's death nothing is known with any certainty, excepting that it did not take place before the year 395. His learning appears to have been very respectable, and the style of his writings is simple, perspicuous, and elegant. There is a Life of St. Jerome, written by one Gennadius, in the fourth volume of Mabillon's "Vetera Analecta," which that father ascribes to the subject of this article. Cave's Hist. Lit. vol. I. sub sæc. Nest. Dupin. Moreri.-M. GENOVESI, ANTHONY, a celebrated Neapolitan philosopher, and man of letters, who introduced a new method of teaching philosophy and theology, and by these means rendered great service to his country, and to all Italy, was born, in 1712, at Castiglione, a small town in the district of Salerno, where his parents, who were persons in moderate circumstances, resided. His father destined him from his earliest years to the church; and with this view had him instructed in the Latin language and the peripatetic philosophy, which was then pre GENNADIUS, an ecclesiastical writer who flourished towards the close of the fifth century, was a native of Gaul, and became a priest of Marseilles, and not bishop of that city as some writers have maintained. Both ancients and moderns have differed widely in their judg-valent in all the schools. In his sixteenth year ments concerning his opinions. Pope Adrian ranks him among the most holy and orthodox sons of the church; while the church of Lyons, in the treatise written in their name by Florus against John Scotus, class him among the Pelagians. Prefixed to the author's treatise "De Viris illustribus," inserted in Fabricius's "Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica," the curious reader may meet with the different remarks and conclusions of various writers, from Cassiodorus to Sirmond, on this subject. This, at least, is certain, that he controverted the opinions of St. Augustine on the subjects of grace and predestination, in which he concurred with the learned Faustus bishop of Riez. From a catalogue which he has himself given of his works, it appears, that he had written eight books against all the heresies, six books against Nestorius, three books against Pelagius, and a treatise concerning the Millennium and the book of Revelation, which are no longer extant. The only remains of this author which have reached our times are, a treatise "De Viris illustribus," mentioned above, which is a continuation of St. Jerome's "Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers, from 392 to 395," and has been printed with it at different times; and a treatise "De Fide, seu de Dogmatibus Ecclesiasticis Liber ad Gelasium Papam missus." The last-mentioned he possessed so much readiness in disputation, that he was able to reduce to a dilemma the most experienced monks in the convents of the place, though he could not form a clear idea either of the subject of the dispute, or of the common terms of the art by which he bewildered his antagonist. His penetration and boldness in doubting every thing that appeared not founded on reason, excited, at an early period, his suspicion of a philosophy which presented nothing but obscurity, and an ardent desire to obtain a ray of light which might conduct him to the paths of truth. Genovesi, however, would not have made great progress in any branch of knowledge, had not his father suddenly resolved to send him to a distance from the place of his nativity, where an unseasonable passion for the daughter of a neighbouring peasant might have distracted his attention. He was therefore sent to a relation at Buccino, and placed under the care of a lay-ecclesiastic, who not only possessed a thorough knowledge of theology and jurisprudence, but also of the Greek and Latin classics. His progress in these studies, and particularly the sciences, civil and canon law, excited general astonishment: attachment to the object of his love, and a desire of being united to her in marriage, were a strong inducement to him to double his diligence About this period he indulged in some propensities, which seemed likely to prevent him from embracing the ecclesiastical state. In his hours of relaxation he wrote comedies, and even performed some parts on a private theatre. The archbishop of Conza, who heard of it, punished him with the ban of the church: at the same time he learned that the object of his love, through the instigation of his father, was married; and this disappointment made him at length resolve to devote himself to the church, and to undergo an examination for the subdiaconate at Salerno. On this occasion he displayed not only an extensive knowledge of theology and canon law, but such powers of eloquence in the Latin language, that the archbishop, who was present, conceived a very high opinion of his talents, and admitted him as teacher of rhetoric into his seminary. After the death of his patron, who had consecrated him a priest in the year 1736, he left the seminary of Salerno, and repaired to Naples to follow the practice of the law; an employment highly lucrative in that city. But his turn for silent and solitary meditation. being ill suited to the noise and bustle of a court of justice, he resolved to devote himself to philosophy. After preparing himself at Naples by reading and studying the ancient and modern philosophers, he obtained the place of extraordinary-professor of metaphysics. He commenced a course of lectures in November, 1741, and the boldness of his manner, and the clearness with which he explained and illustrated the principles of his system, brought him an uncommon concourse of scholars. The general principles on which he founded his philosophy were as follows: Every thing that has no relation to the well-being of man, and for which reason can assign no grounds, ought to be entirely banished from philosophy. The greater part of the peripatetic ontology he considered as useless. In regard to the doctrine of the existence of matter, extension, the nature of space, motion, eternity, and the like, he candidly acknowledged his ignorance, and asserted that no philosopher had ever yet comprehended it. A system of metaphysics which conducted back the mind to the plain straight road to truth, could not fail to stir up against the author the slaves of the old empire of darkness and ignorance, who confounded reason and infidelity. Scarcely had the first part of his Metaphysics made its appearance in 1743, when a host of foes started up against him from all quarters. In every page they found traces or proofs of scepticism and unbelief; and he was even accused of opening a door to freethinking in Italy, because he recommended. the works of Galileo, Grotius, and Newton. Archbishop and cardinal Spinelli, his bitter enemy, moved heaven and earth against him by means of his emissaries; and endeavoured, but in vain, to suppress the book. Galiani, the director of the Neapolitan universities, sincerely rejoiced to see such a light kindled up in his native country; and he had nothing so much at heart as to give the exalted genius of Genovesi every possible opportunity to spread instruction among the people. He therefore persuaded the king to bestow on him the vacant place of professor of ethics, and thus opened to him a new field for combating the ignorance and prejudice of the schools. Genovesi taught this science according to a plan which was totally unknown in the seminaries of Naples. He deduced the duties of man from analytical considerations; and established it as a principle that his happiness is the only object of the philosophical doctrine of morals. He interwove in his lectures the history of the human passions; and enlivened them by a boldness and spirit which were peculiarly his own. At this time there were a great many works on logic used in the schools of Italy, but none of them gave rules for thinking and judging of objects in a rational manner. To remedy this deficiency, Genovesi composed a new system of logic, which he dictated in his private lectures, and which was published in 1745, under the title of "Elementorum Artis Logico-criticæ, Libri quinque." Such a system of logic, in a public school of Italy, was a phenomenon of the happiest influence. It put into the hands of young persons the key of truth, and enabled the author to bring out, with more advantage, the second and third part of his Metaphysics, in which he treated on the doctrine of the soul and on natural theology. This he did in the years 1747 and 1751. The same spirit of love, truth, and forbearance, prevails in his christian theology, which he taught in private lectures, under the title of "Omnigenæ Theologiæ Elementa, Historico-critico-dogmatica." This theology he had dictated for ten years, to the great benefit of young students destined for the church, when, in 1748, on a vacancy taking place in the public chair of theology, some unlucky demon inspired him with the idea of soliciting for this office, which always paved a way to the episcopal dignity. Among the various candidates was the abbé Molinari, extraordinary-professor of canon law in the university of Naples, who was then at Rome. Genovesi was so superior in merit and celebrity to all the |