Bernier, John

, a physician, born in 1622, at Blois, where he practised for twenty-eight years, and afterwards at Paris, had the title of Physician to Madame. He wrote, 1. “A history of Blois,” Paris, 1682, 4to, very inaccurate in the opinion of Liron. 2. “Medical Essays,” 1689, 4to. 3. “Anti-Menagiana,” 1693, 12mo. 4. “Critique on the Works of Rabelais,” Paris, 1697, 12mo, full of verbosity and false wit. His rank of physician to Madame did not rescue him from poverty, and his disappointments gave him a strong tincture of chagrin and melancholy, which is manifest in all his writings. His erudition was extremely superficial, but he talked incessantly. Menage used to say that he ought to talk well, for he did nothing else; but, added he, Bernier is vir lev is arniaturte. He died May 18, 1698. ¹