Palairet, Elias

Palairet, Elias was one of the latest of the classical commentators who attempted to illustrate the language of the New Testament from the usage of the various authors of classic Greek, a line of interpretation which in the early part of the last century grew into especial favor with many eminent scholars, both on the Continent and in this country. Palairet, who was a French Protestant minister living at Tournay, in Belgium, published at Leyden, in 1752, in an octavo volume, some short notes of classical illustrations of sundry passages of the New Testament. These he entitled Observationes philologico-criticoe in sacros Novi Faderis libros. These notes indicate much learning. but they partake of the fault of the school by exaggerating the likeness of the sacred to the classic Greek authors. Palairet, who seems to have afterwards undertaken the pastorship of a French congregation at Greenwich, issued in the year 1755 a specimen, printed in London, of a much. larger work, partaking of the character of a continuous commentary on all the books of the New Testament, on the principle of his Observationes. The work, however, which was to. have been published by subscription, never appeared.