was raised among his numerous friends and acquaintances. To this was added in 1852 a pension from the crown of £100. In the same year he published three volumes of his autobiography, of which the fourth came out in 1853. Although many interesting facts and some amusing anecdotes are interspersed in these volumes, the general tone of the work is unattractive. Many critics were sorely displeased, and Mr. Jerdan's threescore years and ten did not shield him from very acrimonious observations. In the days of his prosperity Mr. Jerdan was a kind friend to young authors and other persons whose needy circumstances came to his knowledge. Among the other miscellaneous writings of this author, are the biographical memoirs in Fisher's National Portrait Gallery of eminent personages of the nineteenth century.—R. H.
JEREMIE, Sir John, an able colonial judge and legal champion of the Negro race in the West Indies, during the long contest with the planters which preceded the abolition of slavery. He was born in 1795 in the island of Guernsey, where his father was a distinguished advocate in the royal court. His early education was conducted at the grammar-school of Tiverton, Devon, and he completed his legal studies at Dijon in France. When but twenty years of age, he exhibited his talent and skill as an advocate before the government commissioners sent over to Guernsey to correct abuses in the laws and courts of justice of that island, and was afterwards retained in many intricate cases. His energy and independence of character were not less remarkable than his eloquence and legal acumen. In pleading cases of appeal before the privy council he was brought favourably before the notice of the government, and in 1824 was appointed chief justice of St. Lucie in the West Indies. In his "Essays on Colonial Slavery" Sir John Jeremie remarks, that when he accepted this appointment he was thoroughly indifferent on the question of slavery, never having studied the subject, and his prepossessions on going to the West Indies were rather opposed to the abolition party; in the belief, which so many for want of knowledge entertained, that there was not sufficient evidence to support the assertions made respecting the evils and atrocities of slavery. In 1825 a law for ameliorating the condition of the slaves was promulgated in the West Indies, Mr. Jeremie, in the exercise of his legal functions, met with so many cases of inhuman treatment of the oppressed race, that he no longer complained of a lack of proofs that slavery was an intolerable evil. Regardless of the ruin which such a course promised to his own prospects in the colonies, he espoused the cause of the slaves with all the boldness and vigour for which he was remarkable, and soon became a warm abolitionist. He returned to Europe in 1831, and published "Four Essays on Colonial Slavery," in which he gave the result of his observations, and proposed the means to be adopted for gradual emancipation as the only remedy for the evils of slavery. In 1832 he was appointed procureur and advocate-general to the Mauritius, a colony which had originally belonged to the French, and where many French legal usages still existed. The inhabitants, indignant at having a procureur-general sent out from the home government, and altogether opposed to the reformed slave-law which he came to enforce, were ready to resist his landing by open violence; and eventually he was obliged to return home. Soon after his arrival in England, having notified to the colonial office his readiness to return to the Mauritius and resume his office, he was again sent out with an increased military force, and recommenced his arduous labours in spite of the popular clamour, which continued unabated. He returned to England in 1835, the year after the act of emancipation came into force in the West Indies; and the services which he had rendered to the cause were acknowledged by the antislavery society by a presentation of plate. In 1836 he was appointed to the office of puisne justice of the supreme court of Ceylon, where he spent four of the most tranquil years of his varied and eventful life. In 1840 he published a letter on "Negro Emancipation and African Civilization," addressed to Sir T. F. Buxton, in which he proposed some practical measures for the civilization of Western Africa; and soon after, in order to carry out these plans, he accepted the office of governor and captain-general of Sierra Leone and its dependencies, receiving at the same time the honour of knighthood. In April, 1841, four months after his arrival at Sierra Leone, while on a government mission to Port Lago, he died of the prevalent disease of the climate, in his forty-sixth year. His only son, John Robert Jeremie, a promising young man, at his own earnest request accompanied his father as private secretary, a post he continued to hold under the succeeding governor until 1843, when he in his turn fell a victim to the climate. The inhabitants of St. Lucie evinced their respect for the memory of Sir John Jeremie by a general mourning, and his successor in the chief-justiceship. Dr. Reddie, pronounced an eloge in the royal court of the island.—R. M.
JERNINGHAM, Edward, was born in 1727; and being a member of an ancient Roman catholic family, he was sent to the English college at Douay to be educated, whence he went to Paris to complete his studies. He was a good Greek and Latin scholar, and is said to have known French and Italian as thoroughly as his native tongue. His first work, a poem in favour of Magdalen hospital, was well received; and this was followed at intervals by other compositions. "The Shakspeare gallery" is noted for the high commendation bestowed on it by Edmund Burke, who said he had not for a long time seen anything so well finished. "The Rise and Fall of Scandinavian Poetry" is perhaps his best and most vigorous production. He also wrote a few dramas. A collection of his poetical and dramatic works was published in 1806, in 4 vols. 8vo. He died November 17, 1812. Jerningham was intimate with the most distinguished literary men of his times, and the personal friend of Chesterfield and Carlisle. Lord Byron speaks of him in connection with the latter, and observes—"He was one of the few who, in the very short intercourse I had with him, treated me with kindness when a boy."—J. F. W.
JEROME (Hieronymus), commonly called Saint, was born at Stridon in Dalmatia. The year of his birth is not known, though the Chronicle of Prosper fixes it in 331. This, however, is too early. Perhaps 345 would be nearer the truth. His parents were christian. At an early age his father Eusebius sent him to Rome, where he received an excellent education under good teachers; one of whom was Donatus the celebrated grammarian. There too he was baptized. Prompted in part by his love of knowledge, he set out to travel in Gaul, and resided some years at Treves. Here he transcribed the commentaries of Hilary on the Psalms, and his work on Synods. He also appears to have formed a resolution of devoting himself to christianity with earnest zeal. To what place he journeyed after leaving Gaul we are unable to tell with certainty. It is supposed to have been Rome. In 370 he was at Aquileia, living in friendship with Rufinus and Chromatius. Here he wrote his first theological piece, "De muliere septies percussa." In 373 he was obliged to leave the place and set out for the east, in company with Innocentius, Evagrius, and Heliodorus. Passing the Bosphoras, he went through Thrace, Bithynia, Galatia, Pontus, Cappadocia, Cilicia, and reached Antioch, where his friend Innocentius died and he himself had a dangerous illness. His mind was now more deeply affected by a sense of religious things. He was led by a dream or heavenly vision to abandon Ciceronian literature, of which he had been a great admirer, and addict himself to sacred contemplations. After enjoying the advantage of the instructions of Apollinaris at Antioch, he withdrew into the desert of Chalcis in Syria, where he passed four years of severe study, rigid asceticism, fasting, and self-reproach on account of his former life. He learnt Hebrew from a Jew; wrote annotations on parts of scripture; and corresponded with his friends. In 379 he left this retreat, compelled to do so by the disputes between the adherents of Paulinus and Meletius at Antioch. By espousing Paulinus' side, he was drawn into the controversy. Having returned to Antioch, he unwillingly consented to be ordained presbyter by Paulinus; though he made it a condition that he should not be required to perform the regular duties of the office. In 380 he visited Constantinople, drawn thither by the invitation of Gregory Nazianzen. Here he chiefly studied the Greek language and became better acquainted with the Greek fathers, of whose works he made some translations; particularly Eusebius' Chronicon, which he continued down to 378, and Origen's homilies on Jeremiah. The exegetical writings of Origen, to which Gregory first directed his attention, had an important influence on his subsequent studies and character. The friendship and instructions of Gregory during the three years which Jerome spent at Constantinople, were very valuable to the ardent disciple. In 382 he went to Rome with Paulinus and Epiphanius respecting the disputes in the church at Antioch—disputes which did not die with Meletius in 381; since Flavianus was elected by his partisans to succeed him. Jerome acted as secretary to the
