EGLINUS (von Goetzen; Lat. Iconius), RAPHAEL: Swiss theologian, an advocate of Calvin's doctrines in Hesse; b. at Rüssickon (5 m. s. of Zurich) Dec. 28, 1559; d. at Marburg Aug. 20, 1622. He was the son of a clergyman, received instruction in Chur and Chiavenna, studied in Zurich, then under Beza in Geneva, and under Grynæus in Basel. His first position was as a teacher at Sondrio in the Valtelline, whence, in 1586, he was compelled to emigrate on account of measures taken by the Roman Catholics against the Evangelicals. He stayed a short while in Winterthur, and in 1588 went to Zurich, where he filled various positions, at last that of professor of the New Testament and archdeacon at the minster. His inclination for theosophy and alchemy was disastrous, for the latter deranged his finances so that he had to flee from Zurich on account of debt in 1601; nevertheless he was helped by his friends, was enabled to return, and accepted a call of the Landgrave Maurice to Cassel. Himself a friend of alchemy, the landgrave made Eglinus a teacher in the court school there, and in 1606 appointed him the fourth professor of theology in Marburg, in 1614 creating him also court preacher. During this Hessian period Eglinus did not give up his alchemistic tastes, and was encouraged by the landgrave, with whom he carried on a lively correspondence about his experiments. These interests brought him also into connection with the Rosicrucians, for whom he published an apology in 1618. In spite of his occupation with these side-issues Eglinus had no little influence as a theologian, for the introduction of the (Reformed) Verbesserungspunkte (q.v.) by the landgrave occurred during his stay in Hesse, and he gave important aid, by his literary work, as well as through his teaching, in establishing the Reformed confession in that land.

CARL MIRBT.

 

Bibliography: F. W. Strueder, Grundlage zu einer hessi. schen Gelehrten- and Schriftsteller-Geschichte, iii. 299-318, Gottingen, 1783 (contains a list of the works of Eglinus).