EBERHARD, Johann Augustus (1739-1809), an eminent German theologian and philosopher, was born at Halberstadt, in Lower Saxony, August 31, 1739. His father, a man of considerable literary attainments, was the singing-master at the church of St Martin’s in that town, and also teacher of the school of the same name. Young Eberhard was educated partly at home and partly in his father’s school. In the seventeenth year of his age he went to the university of Halle to study theology. Towards the end of 1759 he returned to his native town, and became tutor to the eldest son of the Baron Von der Horst, to whose family he attached himself for a number of years. In 1763 he was appointed con-rector of the school of St Martin’s, and second preacher in the Hospital Church of the Holy Ghost; but he soon afterwards resigned these offices, and followed his patron to Berlin. The advantage he enjoyed of being introduced by the baron into the best company tended to polish his manners, and to form, even at an early period, a style of writing which served as a model to many of his contemporaries. His residence at Berlin gave him an opportunity of extending his knowledge, and of cultivating the acquaintance of some of the most eminent literary men in Germany. Amongst these were Nicolai and Moses Mendelssohn, with whom he associated upon terms of intimate friendship.

In 1768 he accepted the situation of preacher or chaplain to the workhouse at Berlin, along with that of preacher in the neighbouring fishing village of Stralow. The income from these livings was small; but his object was to continue at Berlin, and he had at the same'time the promise of further preferment upon the first vacancy. He now applied with renewed ardour to the study of theology, philosophy, and history, the first fruits of which soon appeared in his Neue Apologie des Socrates (1772), a work occasioned by an attack which was made on the sentiments contained in the fifteenth chapter of Marmontel’s Belisarius by Peter Hofstede, a clergyman of Rotterdam, who, with a misdirected industry, raked up the vices of the most celebrated characters in the pagan world, and maintained the patristic view that even their virtues were only splendida peccata. Eberhard stated the arguments for the broader view with great acuteness and learning, and is therefore entitled to rank as one of the founders of rationalistic theology in Germany. The Apology itself, which constitutes but a small part of the book, is esteemed a master-piece of clear, dignified, and persuasive eloquence. The whole work exhibits much reading and philosophical reflection; but the liberality of his reasoning gave great offence to many of the strictly orthodox divines of his time, and is believed to have obstructed his preferment in the church.

In 1774 he was appointed to the living of Charlottenburg; and he employed the leisure he had in this situation in preparing a second volume of his Apology, which appeared in 1778. In this he not only endeavours to obviate some objections which were taken to the former part, but continues his inquiries into the doctrines of the Christian religion, religious toleration, and the proper rules for interpreting the Scriptures. Perceiving that his further promotion in the church would be attended with difficulty, he resolved, although reluctantly, to accept the situation of professor of philosophy at the university of Halle, which became vacant in 1778 by the death of G. F. Moier. As an academical teacher, however, he was unsuccessful. His powers as an original thinker were not equal to his learning and his literary gifts, as was shown in his opposition to the philosophy of Kant.

On his arrival at Halle, the philosophical faculty presented him with a diploma as doctor in philosophy and master of arts. In 1786 he was admitted a member of the Berlin Academy of Sciences; and in 1805 the king of Prussia conferred upon him the honorary title of a privycouncillor. In 1808 he obtained the degree of doctor in divinity, which was given him as a reward for his theological writings. He died January 6, 1809.

Eberhard’s attainments in philosophy and literature were extensive and profound. He was master of the learned languages, spoke and wrote French with facility and correctness, and understood English, Italian, and Dutch. He bad read a great deal, was thoroughly versed in the philosophical sciences, and possessed a just and discriminating taste for the fine arts. He was a great lover of music, and was himself a proficient in.the art.

The following is a list of his works :— Neue Apologie des Socrates, &c., 2 vols. 8vo, 1772-8; Allgemeine Theorie des Denkens und Empfindens, &c., Berlin, 1776, 8vo, an essay which gained the prize assigned by the Royal Society of Berlin for that year; Von dem Begriff der Philosophie und ihren Theilen, Berlin, 1778, 8vo,—a short essay, in which he announced the plan of his lectures on being appointed to the professorship at Halle; Lobschrift auf Herrn Johann Thunrnann Prof, der Weltweisheit und Beredsamkeit auf der Universität zu Halle, Halle 1779, 8vo; Amyntor, eine Geschichte in Briefen, Berlin, 1782, 8vo,—written with the view of counteracting the influence of those sceptical and Epicurean principles in religion and morals then so prevalent in France, and rapidly spreading amongst the higher ranks in Germany; Ueber die Zeichen der Aufklärung einer nation, &c., Halle, 1783, 8vo; Theorie der Schonen Künste und Wissenschaften, &c., Halle, 1783, 8vo, 3d ed. 1790; Vermischte Schriften, Halle, 1784; Neue Vermischte Schriften, Ib. 1786; Allgemeine Geschichte der Philosophie, &c., Halle, 1788, 8vo; 2ded. with a continuation and chronological tables, 1796; Versuch einer Allgemeinen-Deutschen Synonymik, &c. Halle and Leipsic, 1795-1802, 6 vols. 8vo, long reckoned the best work on the synonyms of the German language (an abridgment of it was published by the author in one large volume 8vo, Halle, 1802); Handbuch der Aesthetik, &c., Halle, 1803-1805, 4 vols. 8vo. Besides the works above mentioned, Eberhard contributed a number of small tracts and essays to various periodical and scientific publications, and translated several foreign works. He was also the editor of the Philosophical Magazine, Halle, 1788— 1792, and of the Philosophical Archives, Halle, 1793-1795. These two periodical works, which are now little read, were instituted for the purpose of controverting the metaphysical principles of Kant, and of vindicating the doctrines of Leibnitz and Wolf. Frederick Nicolai published a memoir on the life and character of Eberhard, Berlin and Stettin, 1810, 8vo. See also K. H. Jordens, Lexicon Deutscher Dichter und Prosaisten.