Du Paty

, at first advocate-general, and afterwards president à mortier in the parliament of Bourdeaux, was born at Rochelle, and died at Paris in 1788, at no very advanced age, with the character of an upright, enlightened, and eloquent magistrate. He acquired considerable honour, by his inflexible constancy in the revolution of the magistracy in 1771, and still more, by delivering from punishment three poor wretches of Chaumont, condemned to be broke alive upon the wheel. The statement he published in his defence does credit to his talents and humanity, which may likewise be said of his “Historical reflections on Penal Laws.” The president Du Paty employed himself for a length of time in endeavouring to reform these laws; and displayed no less sagacity than zeal in combating the obstacles he met with from inveterate prejudices. As a literary man, we have by him, “Academical Discourses,” and “Letters on Italy,” 1788, 2 vols. 8vo, of which last, two rival translations were published in this country in the same year. Yet, although he shows himself a man of considerable taste, and possessed of descriptive talents, his travels are frequently disfigured by emphatical phrases, and by attempts at wit, savouring of conceit and affectation. It was his misfortune to aim at imitating Diderot and Thomas, who furnished him with many of his phrases. His adversaries have spread abroad an anecdote, that Voltaire, being asked his opinion of his abilities as a magistrate, answered, “He is a good scholar.” And, when he was urged to give his sentiments on his talents for literature and the arts, he said, “He is a good magistrate.” ²