See COJIMENTARY.
Olearius, the name of a German family renowned for having produced several generations of learned Prot- estant theologians. Thus we find,
1. JoHAN'N Olearius (1), born at Wesel Sept. 17, 1546. His family name was Kupfermann, but his father being an oil-manufacturer, he changed it to Olearius. He studied at DUsseldorf, Marburg, and Jena. In 1573 he followed Hcshusius, who was, on account of his zeal against Calvinism, obliged to retire to Prus- sia. Olearius became professor at the University of Konigsberg. In 1577 he went to that of Helmstiidt, where he was in 1579 appointed professor of He- brew. About that time he married the daughter of Heshusius. In 1601 he became superintendent at Halle, and taught Hebrew for some time in the gymnasium of that city. He died there Jan. 26, 1623. He wrote, Disputationum theologicarum pai'tes II: — Verzeichniss 200 Calrinischer Ir-rthUmer in den A nhaltischen BUchem.
2. Gottfried Olearius (I), second son of the pre- ceding, was born at Halle Jan. 1, 1604. He became successively adjunct professor of philosophj^ at Witten- berg, pastor at Halle, and superintendent of that citj', where he died, Feb. 20, 1685. He wrote, ErMdrung des Buches Biob in 55 Predigten (Leips. 1633, 1645, 1672, 4to): — Biblica theoretico-practica adnotata (Halle, 1676, 4to) : — Homiliarum catecheticarum plus quam 700 deline- atio (ibid. 1680, 8vo).
3. JoHANN Olearius (2), brother of Gottfried, was born at Halle Sept, 17, 1611. He was first pastor at Halle, and afterwards general superintendent at Weis- senfels, where he died, April 14, 1684. His most impor- tant works are, Oratoria ecclesiasiica methodice ador- nata (Halle, 1665, 8vo): — Adsertionum philologicarum heptas ex historia Magorum (Leips. 1671, 4to) : — Theo- logia exegetica (ibid. 1674, 8vo) : — Geistliches Ilandbuch der Kinder Gottes (ibid. 1674, 8vo) : — Biblische Erkld- rung (ibid. 1678-81, 5 vols. fol.).
4. JoHANN Gottfried Olearius, son of Gottfried, was bom at Halle Sept. 28, 1635. After being for a while pastor at Halle he was appointed superintendent at Arn- stadt, where he became verj- popular, and was so at- tached to the people that he declined the appointment of first preacher to the court at Gotha, which was offered him in 1689. He died at Arnstadt May 20, 1711. Be- sides a number of dissertations on various subjects, he wrote several works, the most important of which is en- titled A bacus patrologicus (Jena, 1673, 8vo). The 2d edition was published by his son, Johann Gottlieb, under the title Bibliotheca scriptoj-um ecclesiasticorum (ibid. 1711, 2 vols. 4to), with an introduction by J. F. Bud- dreus.
5. .ToHANN Olearius (3), a philologist and theolo- gian, brother of the preceding, was born at Halle May 5, 1639. He became professor of Greek at Loipsic in 1664, and of theology in 1677. He endeavored to soften the theological dissensions so common at that time, which were often making trouble in the university. He died at Leipsic Aug. 6, 1713. Among his theological works we notice Elementa hermeneuticce sacrce (Leips. 1698, 8vo) : — De stylo Novi Testamenti (ibid. 1668, 4to; four editions, the latest in 1699) : — Exei-citationes philologicm Grceatm epistolarum dominicalium textum concernentes (ibid. 1672, 4to) : — Synopsis confroversia7-U7n selectiorum (ibid. 1710, 8vo) : — Doctiina theologicB moralis (ibid. 1688) : reprinted with the following work : — Introductio in theologiam casualem (ibid. 1703, fol.). He was also one of the most active contributors to the Acta Erudi- torum during the first years of its publication.
6. Johann Christopher Olearu'S, son of Johann Gottfried, was bom at Halle Sept. 17, 1668. He studied theology at Jena, and in 1693 came to Arnstadt, where, on account of his numismatic learning, he was intrusted with the classification of the valuable collection of coins of the prince of Schwarzburg. In 1736 he became super- intendent of Arnstadt, He died March 31, 1747. Among his works we notice Ilistorie der Stadt Arnstadt (Jena, 1701, 8vo) : — Clericatus Schwai"burgicus (ibid. 1701, 12mo) : — Clericatus Thunngioe prodromus (ibid. 1704, 8vo) : — Evangelischer Liederschatz (ibid. 1705-1706, 4 pts. 8vo): — Pnrfamen de Johanna papissa (Amst. 1722,
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8vo). He published also several editions of the Arn- sfadtisches Gesanghuch (ibid. 1701, 1703, 1706, 12mo; 1737, 8vo), etc.
7. JoHANN Gottlieb Olearius, a German jurist and biographer, brother of the preceding, was born at Halle June 22, 1684. He was professor of law at KiJnigsberg, and assessor of the criminal court. He died July 12, 1734. He wrote, De Luthero ex juris studioso theolofjo et Zieglero ex theolorp jurisconsulto facto (Jena, 1710) : [)e variis atheos convincendi methodis (ibid. 1711), etc.
8. Gottfried Olearius (2), a German theologian and philologist, son of Johanu Olearius (3), was born at Leipsic July 23, 1672. After studying at Leipsic, he made in 1693 a journey through England and Holland, and after his return was appointed, in 1709, professor of theology at Leipsic. He died there Nov. 13, 1715. Among his works we notice Analysis logica epistoUe ad Ehr(tos, cum ohservationibus philolof/ids (Leips. 1706, 4to) -.—Observationes sacrte in Evamjelium Mattluei (ibid. 1713, 1734, 4to) :— Collegium pastorale (ibid. 1718, 4to) ; it is a series of instructions for young pastors, written in German. He published also a Latin translation of Stanley's History of Philosophy, to which he added a dissertation, De Philosophia Eclecticu ; and a highly es- teemed edition of Philostratus (ibid. 1709, fol.), with notes, a preface, and a Latin translation. This volume contains all that remains of the Greek writers who bore that name. See Acta Eruditorum, 1711, p. 419-424; 1713, p. 428 sq. ; Jocher, Allg. Gelehrten- Lexikon ; Hunnius, Apologia J. G. Olearii (Dresden, 1717, 8vo) ; Walch, Bibl. Theolog. ; Otto, In exsequias Olearii (1747, fol.) ; Gotten, Bas jetztlebende gelehrte Europa, vol. ii ; Becker, Kurze Fragen aus der Kirchenhistorie (Jena, 1751), p. 9735; Wetzel, Auserlesene Tkeologische Bibli- of/(eA-, vol. xxxiii ; Hirsching, //a?z<i6Mc/i ,• Lipsius, jBt6^. Numuria (Leips. 1801), vol. ii; Ersch u. Gruber, Ency- klopddie ; Arnoldt, Histoi-ie d. Konigsberger Univ. vol. ii ; Chauffepie, Diet. Hist.; Niceron, Memoires, vol. vii; Iloefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, xxxviii, 603 sq. See also Hallam, Literature, ii, 266 ; Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. vol. iii ; Hook, Eccles. Biog. vii, 458 sq. ; Gen. Biog. Diet. s. v. (.1. N. P.)