Editing Joseph Justus Scaliger (section)

==University and travels==
[[File:Scaliger.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Josephus Justus Scaliger, painted by [[Paulus Merula]], 3rd librarian of [[Leiden University]], 1597]]

After his father's death, Scaliger spent four years at the [[University of Paris]], where he studied [[Greek language|Greek]] under [[Adrianus Turnebus]]. After two months he found he was not in a position to profit from the lectures of the greatest Greek scholar of the time. He read [[Homer]] in twenty-one days, and afterwards read other classical Greek poets, orators, and historians, forming a [[grammar]] for himself as he went along. At the suggestion of [[Guillaume Postel]], after learning Greek he learned [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], and then [[Arabic language|Arabic]], becoming proficient in both.{{sfn|Christie|Sandys|1911|p=284}}

His most important teacher was [[Jean Dorat]], who was able not only to impart knowledge but also to kindle enthusiasm in Scaliger. It was to Dorat that Scaliger owed his home for the next thirty years of his life, for in 1563 the professor recommended him to Louis de Chasteigner, the young lord of [[La Roche-Posay]], as a companion in his travels. The two young men formed a close friendship which remained unbroken until Louis's death in 1595. The travellers first went to [[Rome]]. Here they found [[Muretus|Marc Antoine Muret]], who, when at [[Bordeaux]] and [[Toulouse]], had been a great favourite and occasional visitor of Julius Caesar Scaliger at Agen. Muret soon recognized the young Scaliger's merits and introduced him to many contacts well worth knowing.{{sfn|Christie|Sandys|1911|p=284}}

After visiting a large part of Italy, the travellers moved on to England and [[Scotland]], passing through the town of La Roche-Posay on their way.<ref>Scaliger's preface to his first book, the ''Conjectanea in Varronem'', is dated there in December 1564.</ref> During his time in the British Isles, Scaliger formed an unfavourable opinion of the English. Their inhumane disposition and inhospitable treatment of foreigners especially made a negative impression on him. He was also disappointed at finding only a few Greek manuscripts and, in his opinion, few learned men. It was not until a much later period that he became intimate with [[Richard Thomson (theologian)|Richard Thomson]] and other Englishmen. Over the course of his travels, he became a [[Protestant]].{{sfn|Christie|Sandys|1911|p=284}}