he was born at spantekow, in western pomerania, and educated at schools in anklam and berge monastery, magdeburg, and the university of halle. in 1759 he was appointed professor at the gymnasium of erfurt, but relinquished this situation two years later and went to reside in a private capacity at leipzig, where he devoted himself to philological researches. in 1787 he received the appointment of principal librarian to the elector of saxony at dresden, where he continued to reside until his death in 1806.