I. Gerard

I. Gerard, an English scholar, born in Westmoreland about 1608, died in 1658. The greater part of his life was passed at Oxford, where he was provost of Queen's college, and keeper of the university archives. He was an industrious writer, and succeeded in avoiding the political troubles of the time. His chief work was an edition of Longinus, in addition to which he published a number of minor treatises on church questions and miscellaneous topics.

II. Gerard

II. Gerard, son of the preceding, born in Oxford in 1656, died in 1692. He was educated at University college, Oxford, and after a career of idleness and extravagance devoted himself to literary pursuits. He gave particular attention to the history of dramatic literature, and collected, it is said, about 1,000 old plays. He republished a catalogue of plays made by Kirkman, a bookseller, under the title of "Momus Triumphans " (1687). This work was speedily sold off, and was improved into "A New Catalogue of English Plays " (1688). Still further amendments and additions produced his "Account of the English Dramatic Poets" (1691, 1699, and 1719). These catalogues manifest little taste or judgment, but are valuable to the student of dramatic history from the accuracy with which facts are related and editions described. Commentators and others have borrowed copiously from Lang-baine, many of them without acknowledgment.