Celsius, Olaus

Celsius, Olaus, an exegetical writer of Sweden, was born in 1670. He was a minister of the Lutheran Church, and professor of theology and of the Oriental languages at the University of Upsal. He was twice offered the dignity of archbishop of Upsal, but declined. He published many dissertations on points of theology, history, and antiquities. His most distinguished labors were on the natural history of the Bible. By direction of Charles XI, he traveled over the principal states of Europe to determine the different plants mentioned in the Bible, and the result of his labors, seventeen dissertations, published at intervals from 1702 to 1741, and afterwards collected into one work called Hierobotanicon, seu de plantis Sanctæ Scripturæ dissertationes breves (Upsal, 1745 and 1747), is still in repute as one of the most important books on the subject. He died in 1756. See Memoirs of the Society of Sciences of Upsal, vol. 2; Biogr. Universo s.v.