Patin, Charles

, son of the preceding, and an able physician and antiquary, was born at Paris, Feb. 2.i, 1633. He was educated with great care by his father, and made such surprizing progress in his studies, that at the age of fourteen he defended Greek and Latin theses in philosophy, with the greatest applause in an assembly composed of thirty-four prelates, the pope’s nuncio, and many other persons of distinction. Being intended for the bar, he completed his law studies, and became an advocate in the parliament of Paris, but he soon relinquished this career for the study of medicine, which in his opinion promised greater advantages. He became afterwards a considerable practitioner, and a teacher of reputation in the medical school of Paris, where he took his doctor’s degree in 1656; but was about this time obliged to leave France for fear of imprisonment. The cause of this is variously related, but the most probable account is, that he had been in some way accessary to the circulation of certain libels which drew upon him the resentment of the court.

He then visited Germany, Holland, England, Swisserland, and Italy, and finally settled at Padua, where he was, in Sept. 1676, appointed professor extraordinary, in 1681 first professor of chemistry, and in 1683, professor of the practice of physic. In all these appointments he acquitted himself with such credit and ability, that the Venetian state honoured him with knighthood of the order of St. Mark; the academy “naturae curiosorum” also admitted him a member, under the title of Galen L, and he was a long time chief director of the academy of the Ricovratu He died at Padua Oct. 2, 1693. He was a man of extensive learning, and a voluminous writer both in Latin, French, and Italian. | Such of his works as relate to medicine are only inaugural orations; but those by which he is best known, relate to the medallic science, in which he was a great proficient. These are, 1. “Familiae Romans ex antiquis numismatibus ah urbe condita ad tempera D. Augusti,” 1663, folio. This is chiefly founded on the work of Fulvius Ursinus. 2. “Introduction a l’Histoire par la Connoissance des Medailles,” 1665, 12mo. 3. “Imperatorum Romanorum Numismata,” 1671, folio. 4. “Thesaurus Numismatum,” 1672, 4to. 5. “Practica delle Medaglie,” 1673, 12mo. 6. “Suetonius ex Numismatibus illustratus,” 1675, 4to,“and some other pieces. He published also the lives of the professors of Padua, with the title of” Lycseum Patavinum, sive Icones et Vitae Professorum Patavi, anno 1682, docentium,“Pat. 1682, 4to. His wife and two daughters were learned women, and members of the Academy of Ricovrati at Padua, in which they distinguished themselves. Charlotte-Catherine, the eldest daughter, pronounced a Latin oration on the raising of the siege of Vienna, and published” Tabellse Selectae," which contained an explanation of forty-one engravings from the most celebrated painters. Gabrielle-Charlotte, the youngest daughter, published a panegyrical oration on Louis XIV., and a Latin dissertation on the phoenix on a medal of Caracalla, Venice, 1683. His wife was author of a collection of moral and Christian reflections. ¹