Felix-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Nève
Encyclopedia
Felix-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Nève (born Ath
, Belgium
, 13 June 1816; died Leuven
, 23 May 1893) was an Orientalist
and philologist.
His parents were devout Catholics. Having graduated with distinction from the Catholic college of Lille
, Nève completed a course of academic studies at the Catholic University of Leuven
(French: Louvain), obtaining in 1838 the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Letters. His taste for classical and oriental languages led him to pursue higher studies under some renowned scholars, Professors Lassen of Bonn
, Tiersch of Munich, and Burnouf of Paris
. He became acquainted with many oriental scholars, some of them already famous, others destined like himself to win fame in after years. Among these were Muir, Wilson, A. Weber, Kuhn, Max Muller
, and the orientalist and catholic priest, Dr. Windischmann
.
In 1841 Nève was appointed to the chair of Greek and Latin Literature in the University of Leuven, and while teaching the classics, gave a course of studies in the Sanskrit
language and literature. This work he kept up for thirty-six years, at the same time making known the results of the his studies in books and in the articles contributed to the Journal Asiatique, Annales de Philosophie Chrétienne, Correspondent, and other periodicals. In 1877 he was given the title of professor emeritus, and for the next fifteen years a series of publications came from his pen. He was a member of the Asiatic Society of Paris, the Asiatic Society of London
, the Royal Academy of Belgium, and was a Knight of the Order of Leopold.
It was Nève who gave the first impetus to the cultivation of Sanskrit
studies in Belgium. The most important of his numerous publications in the field are:
Nève also studied the Armenian language
and literature. A number of translations and studies based on Armenian texts came from his pen. Among these may be mentioned:
His publications bearing on philology include his account of the learned men who in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries worked to build the University of Leuven, La renaissance des lettres et l' essor de l'érudition ancienne en Belgique.
Ath
Ath is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The Ath municipality includes the old communes of Lanquesaint, Irchonwelz, Ormeignies, Bouvignies, Ostiches, Rebaix, Maffle, Arbre, Houtaing, Ligne, Mainvault, Moulbaix, Villers-Notre-Dame, Villers-Saint-Amand, Ghislenghien...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, 13 June 1816; died Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, 23 May 1893) was an Orientalist
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
and philologist.
His parents were devout Catholics. Having graduated with distinction from the Catholic college of Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, Nève completed a course of academic studies at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
(French: Louvain), obtaining in 1838 the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Letters. His taste for classical and oriental languages led him to pursue higher studies under some renowned scholars, Professors Lassen of Bonn
Christian Lassen
Christian Lassen was a Norwegian-German orientalist.-Life:He was born at Bergen, Norway. Having received a university education at Oslo, he went to Germany and continued his studies at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Bonn. In Bonn, Lassen acquired a sound knowledge of Sanskrit...
, Tiersch of Munich, and Burnouf of Paris
Emile Burnouf
Émile-Louis Burnouf was a leading nineteenth-century Orientalist and racialist whose ideas influenced the development of theosophy and Aryanism. He was a professor at the faculté de lettres at Nancy University, then principal of the French School at Athens from 1867 to 1875...
. He became acquainted with many oriental scholars, some of them already famous, others destined like himself to win fame in after years. Among these were Muir, Wilson, A. Weber, Kuhn, Max Muller
Max Müller (Catholic intellectual)
Max Müller was a German philosopher and influential post-World War II Catholic intellectual...
, and the orientalist and catholic priest, Dr. Windischmann
Karl Joseph Hieronymus Windischmann
Karl Joseph Hieronymus Windischmann was a German philosopher and anthropologist.He attended the Gymnasium in Mainz, and in 1772 took the course in philosophy at the university there. He continued this course at Würzburg, where he also studied the natural sciences and medicine until 1796...
.
In 1841 Nève was appointed to the chair of Greek and Latin Literature in the University of Leuven, and while teaching the classics, gave a course of studies in the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language and literature. This work he kept up for thirty-six years, at the same time making known the results of the his studies in books and in the articles contributed to the Journal Asiatique, Annales de Philosophie Chrétienne, Correspondent, and other periodicals. In 1877 he was given the title of professor emeritus, and for the next fifteen years a series of publications came from his pen. He was a member of the Asiatic Society of Paris, the Asiatic Society of London
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
, the Royal Academy of Belgium, and was a Knight of the Order of Leopold.
It was Nève who gave the first impetus to the cultivation of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
studies in Belgium. The most important of his numerous publications in the field are:
- his translation of selected hymns from the Rig Veda, Études sur les hymnes du Rig-Veda, avec un choix d' hymnes traduits pour le premier fois en français (Louvain, 1842)
- his study of the ancient BrahminBrahminBrahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
cult of the Ribhanas, Essai sur le mythe des Ribhanas . . . avec le texte Sanskrit et la traduction française des hymnes addressés a ces divinités (Paris, 1847) - his translation of BhavabhutiBhavabhutiBhavabhuti was an 8th century scholar of India noted for his plays and poetry, written in Sanskrit. His plays are considered equivalent to the works of Kalidasa...
's drama based on the story of the epic hero RamaRamaRama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, Le dénouement de l'histoire de Rama. Uttara-Rama-Charita, drame de Bhavabhouti, traduit du Sanskrit (Brussels, 1880) - his collection of essays on the VedantaVedantaVedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
philosophy and the epic and dramatic poetry of India, published under the title Epoques littéraires de l'Inde (Brussels, 1883).
Nève also studied the Armenian language
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
and literature. A number of translations and studies based on Armenian texts came from his pen. Among these may be mentioned:
- the Armenian story of the Tatar invasion, Exposé des guerres de Tamerlan et de Schah-Rokh dans l'Asie occidentale, d' après le chronique arménienne inédite de Thomas de Medzoph, published in Mémoires de l'Académie Royale de Belgique (1861)
- the Armenian account of the exploits of Godfrey de Bouillon, Les chefs belges de la première croisade d'après les historiens arméniens (Brussels, 1859)
- the collection of studies on early Christian Armenian prayers and hymns entitled L'Arménie chrétienne et sa littérature (Louvain, 1886).
His publications bearing on philology include his account of the learned men who in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries worked to build the University of Leuven, La renaissance des lettres et l' essor de l'érudition ancienne en Belgique.