SACRISTY
233
SADDLE
south side of the altar, and arranges on it the chalice, covered with the linen clotli called the purifier ; and also the paten, wliicli is covered with a stiff cloth and a rich veil of silk ; the cruets for wine and water; the (iospel and Epistle books: the ewer, basin, and water for washing the celebrant's fingers ; the corporal, or cloth on which the chalice and host are placed, and contained in a burse, or embroidered case ; a crucifix, and two tapers. (4) A church servant, now called sexton. — Walcott, Sacred A rcfutiol. s. v.
Sacristy, an apartiuent in a church or convent in which are kept the sacred objects used in the public worship, and in which tiie clergy and other public func- tionaries who take part in the service assemble and pre- pare for the ceremonies on which they are about to en- ter. In many churches the sacristy is a spacious and costly building. — "Walcott, Sacred Archceohxjy, s. v.
Sacrobosco, Christopher, a native of Dublin, Ireland, in the early part of the 17th century, is chief- ly known as the author of the work Defeiisio Decreii Tridentini et Sententiae Rob. Bellarmini et Authoritate Vulgatce Editionis Latince contra Whilukerum, etc. (1604, 8vo).
Sacrobosco (or Holy wood), John de, an Eng- lish ecclesiastic of the 13th century, is supposed to have been born at Halifax, in Yorkshire, but is claime<l also as a native of Ireland and Scotland. He became a canon regular of the Order of St. Augustine in the monastery of Holywood, in Nithsdale. He afterwards went to Paris, and became professor of mathematics. His death occurred in 1256. His principal work was Sphcera Mundi (16-18, 8vo). Other works were, De Anni Ka- tione,seu de Computo Ecclesiastico : — De Abjorismo.
Sacy, Antoine Isaac Silvestre de, Baron, a celebrated Frencli Orientalist, was born at Paris Sept. 21, 1758. At an early age lie showed great aptitude for the study of languages; but it was mainly from self-in- struction, with the help of irregular private lessons, that his immense learning was acquired. In Hebrew he was helped by a Jew ; in Arabic, by a Benedictine monk, Berthereau. Having entered upon the practice of the law at the age of twenty-three, he retired in 1789, at the age of thirty, and devoted several years to private study. During the Keign of Terror, he lived very hum- bly among peasants, and could make but furtive visits to the libraries of Paris. Early in his learned career he had opened correspondence with the chief Orientalists of Europe — with J. D. Michaelis, Sir Wm. Jones, Eich- horn, and others. To Eichhorn's Repertoiium he con- tributed frequent essays. In France he published in 1785 an essay on the origin of Arabic literature, and in 1787 an abridgment of the Natural History of Demiri. Still more valuable and erudite was his work Memoires sur Diver ses Antiquites de la Perse (1793). In 1792 he was made a member of the Academic des Inscriptions ; and when, in 1795, the Convention founded a school for the study of modern Oriental languages, De Sacy was made professor of Arabic, a post which he held till his death. In 1806 he became also professor of Persian at the College de France. From this time he was very pro- ductive in all the branches of Oriental learning. Many of his works have had a very fruitful influence upon Biblical criticism. We mention (larticularly a trans- lation of Makrisi's treatise On Afohavimedan Medals (1797): — The Outlines of Unirersal Grammar (1799): — his Chrestomuthie Arabe (1806,3 vols.): — his large Arabic Grammar (1810): — Calila-ve-Dimnn, the Ara- bic text of the Fables of Pilpay (1816):— the Pend-Na- meh (Book of Counsels), a Persian didactic poem (1819) : — The Sessions of Hariri, a romance in Arabic (1821): — and his work On the ReUfiion of the Druids (1838, 2 vols.). The amount of learning which these works con- tain and imply can only be appreciated by Oriental specialists. Besides the works.jiientioned, he contrib- uted scores of essays to learned journals in (iermany and elsewhere. His style is sim[ile and direct. The chief
defect is a lack of poetic delicacy and of rhetorical pol- ish. De Sacy, though beginning his career in obscu- rity, was finally abundantly honored. In 1808 he was given the honorary ))osition of membership in the Corps Leyislutif. In 1813 he was made a baron. In 1814 he became rector of the University of Paris. After the Revolution of 1830 he was made a peer of France and a grand ofKcer of the Legion of Honor. Honors from abroad also came upon him in abundance. He founded chairs for the Sanscrit and the Chinese language at the College de France ; and he continued his public lectures, six per week (an unusual number for a Pari- sian savant) down to the day of his sickness. In poli- tics he was conservative, in character upright, in relig- ion Catholic. On F'eb. 19, 1838, he was stricken with apoplexy on the street, and died three days after. See two biographical sketches in the Journal Asiatique. 1838; Encycl. Brit. vol. xix ; Rerzog, Real-Enci/klop, xiii, 287-289. (J. P. L.)
Sacy, Louis Isaac le Maistre de, an emi- nently pious and learned Port-Koyalist divine and Bib- lical critic, was born at Paris in 1613. He was shut up in the Bastille on account of his Jansenist doctrines, and died in 1684. The New Test, translated by De Sac}', and known as the Testament de IMons, was condemned by pope Clement IX in 1668. De Sacy's version of Thomas a Kempis's De Dnila/ione has had 150 editions. His commentary on the Scriptures has continued to maintain a high character. It is essentially valuable for unfolding the spiritual meaning of the sacred text. De Sacy was assisted in the work by Du Fosse, Charles Hure, and Le Tourneaux. Many editions have been printed, both of the original work and of abridgments. The edition of l(i92 is the best ; that of 1705-30, bound variously in 40, 45, or 54 vols. 12mo, is esteemed for its convenient form; that of 1781, printed at Nismes, in 25 vols. 8vo, has the advantage of being edited, with addi- tions, by Rondet. De Sacy also wrote Lettres Chretiennes et Spiriiuelles (Paris, 1690, 2 vols. 8vo).