Lelong, Jacques
Lelong, Jacques
A French bibliographer, b. at Paris, 19 April, 1665 d. there, 13 Aug., 1721. As a boy of ten, he entered the Order of the Knights of St. John of Malta, and after a very brief and unhappy sojourn in Malta, made his studies at Paris. He left the Order of the Knights and entered the Oratory in 1686. He then taught at the college of Juilly in the Diocese of Meaux, where he was ordained priest in 1689, and was later librarian at the seminary of Notre-Dame des Vertus in Aubervilliers near Paris. He was transferred in 1699 to the Oratory of St-Honore at Paris, and remained there as librarian till his death twenty-two years later. The title of the first work which brought him fame indicates its contents fairly completely: “Bibliotheca Sacra in binos Syllabos distincta quae (I) omnes sive Textus sacri sive Versionum ejusdem quavis lingua expressarum Editiones, necnon praestantiores MSS Codices cum notis historicis et criticis, (II) omnia eorum opera quovis idiomate conscripta, qui hucusque in s. Scripturam quidpiam ediderunt et grammaticas et Lexica linguarum praesertim orientalium, quae ad illustrandas Sacras paginas aliquid adjumenti conferre possunt, continet” (2 vols. 8vo, Paris, 1709; Vigouroux, contradicting other authorities, says 1702; 2nd ed., 1709); edited by Boerner with additions chiefly of German works (Antwerp, 1709), folio edition by the author (Paris, 1719); edited after the author’s death with many additions and corrections by Lelong and by his confrere, Desmolets, who prefixed the life from which we draw our facts (2 vols. fol. Paris, 1723). The last and best edition is by Andrew Gottlieb Masch (6 vols., 4to, Halle, 1775-83). The work is still valuable as a bibliography of the printed Bible in its various editions, and of the earty modern literature concerning them. Lelong also wrote a “Discours historique sur les principales editions des Bibles polyglottes” (Paris, 1713). His other work, which shows his variety of tastes and has proved very useful to students of French history, is entitled “Bibliothèque historique de la France, contenant le catalogue des ouvrages imprimés et manuscrits qui traitent de l’histoire ce royaume, ou qui y ont rapport, avec des notes critqiues et historiques” (Paris, 1719).
———————————–
DESMOLETS, notice seems to be the only source. See also INGOLD, Essai de bibliographie oratorienne (Paris, 1880-2), 82.
JOHN F. FENLON Transcribed by Joseph P. Thomas
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IXCopyright © 1910 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, CensorImprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Lelong, Jacques
an eminent French bibliographer, was born at Paris April 19,1665. In 1677 he was sent by his father to Malta, to be educated as a member of the order of Knights, but not liking the severity with which he was treated, he obtained permission to return to Paris. Here he continued his studies, and, as he had not yet taken the vows of the Order of St. John of Malta, he entered the Congregation of the Oratory in 1686. He became successively professor of mathematics in the College of Juilli, and afterwards in the seminary of Notre Dame des Vertus, near Paris. Later he was appointed librarian of that institution, and in 1699 was transferred in the same capacity to the library of the Oratoire St. Honore, at Paris, one of the richest in that city, especially in Oriental books and MSS. This position he occupied for twenty-two years, rendering the greatest services to the scientific world by his valuable bibliographical researches, and by a threefold catalogue. He died Aug. 17, 1721. His most important work, which is yet highly prized by students, is his Bibliotheca Sacra (Par. 1709, 2 vols. 8vo; 2d ed. 1723, 2 vols. fol. this latter ed. is by far the best). Another augmented edition was published after his death by Desmolets, a priest of the Oratory (Paris, 1723, 2 vols. fol.). A valuable supplement was afterwards added to it, and the whole work carefully revised, by Chr. Fr. Borner (Lips. 1709); another enlarged and extended edition was published by A. G. Mlasch (Halle, 1778-1790, 5 vols. 4to). As a historian, Lelong distinguished himself particularly by his Bibliotheque historique de la France, contenuant le catalogue des outrages imprimis et manuscrits, qui traitent de l’histoire lde ce royaume (Par. 1719; 2d ed. by Fevret de Fontette, Par. 1768, 5 vols. fol.). This was to have been followed by notices on the author of these works. Lelong wrote Discours historiques sur les principales editions des Bibles Polyglottes (Paris, 1713): Supplement as l’histoire des dictionnaires Habreux de Wolfus (Par. 1707): Nouvelle methode des langues Hebraique et Chaldaique (Par. 1708), etc. See Desmolets, Vie du P. Lelong, in the 2d and 3d edition of the Bibliotheca Sacra; Herzog, Real-Encyklopadie, 8:290: Hoefer, Noeuv. Biog. Generale, 30:540 sq., Kitto, Bibl. Cyclop. s.v.