Meyer, Johann Friederich Von

Meyer, Johann Friederich von an eminent German theologian and jurist, was born at Frankfort-on the- Main, September 12, 1772. In 1789 he entered the University of Gittingen, where he applied himself with great zeal to jurisprudence, not however neglecting his favorite study, Greek. In 1790 he published his Commentatio de diis ac deabus Graecorum et Romanorum δᾳδούχοις cum vi tabulis aereis, which attracted great attention. In 1793 he went to Leipsic, where he turned his attention mainly to the study of philosophyv After holding various official positions, which he successively lost in consequence of the French invasion, he was, in 1807, appointed counsellor to the municipal court of Frankfort; became member of the senate in 1816; judge in 1821, and finally, in 1837, president of the criminal court and of the court of appeals. At the same time he was a member of the diet, and thrice, in 1825, 1839, and 1843, filled the office of burgomaster. He died January 27, 1849. In the early part of his life Meyer inclined to rationalism — this still appears in his poem of Tobias, in seven cantos, published in 1800; but he was subsequently converted, and thenceforth became very active as a theologian. In 1806 and 1807 he translated Cicero's works on the nature of the gods, divination, and fate; in 1813, Xenophon's Cyropaedia (2d ed. 1823). In 1812 he published his Bibeldeutungen, in which he found full play for his acquirements in philology, jurisprudence, etc. He next turned his attention to a new translation of the Bible, as he wished to correct the philological errors contained in Luther's translation. It assumed the form of a revision of Luther's translation, with annotations, and was published in 1819 (2d ed. without the notes, 1823; latest ed. Frankf. 1855). The value of this work was recognised by the University of Eriangen, and he was honored with the doctorate in divinity, and in 1816 was made president of the Bible Society of Frankfort. On emerging from rationalism, Meyer took a leaning towards mysticism, in the better sense of the word. This is apparent in such works as his Blatter fur hohere Wahrheit (Frankf. 1820- 32); Wahrnehmungen einer Seherin (Frankf. 1827). Aside from the above- named works, he wrote, Der Rosenkrenzer, die Fama u. d. Confession (Frankf. 1828): — Kritische Kranze (Berl. 1830): — Das Buch Jezira, hebraisch v. deutsch (Leips. 1830): — Inbegriff d. christlichen Glaubenslehre (Kempt. 1832): — Hesperiden, (Kempt. 1836): — Prosodisches Hulfsbuch (1836): — Zur Aegyptol. (1840). See Doring, Gelehrte Theol. Deutschl. s.v. (J.H.W.)