Pothier, Robert Joseph

son of a counsellor to the presidial of Orleans, was born in that city January 9, 1699, and was appointed counsellor to the same presidial himself at the age of twenty-one. A particular taste induced him to study the Romanlaw and the public are indebted to his labours on that subject for an edition of Justinian’s Pandects, very exactly arranged, which he published 1748, 3 vols. folio. This work made M. Pothier known to the chancellor D’Aguesseau, who appointed him, unsolicited, to the professorship of French law, vacant at Orleans in 1749 after which, he applied particularly to that branch. He died, unmarried, at Orleans, May 2, 1772. Though constantly employed in the service of his fellow citizens, and of all those who consulted him, he found opportunity, by his indefatigable diligence, to publish the following | works: 1. “Coutume d‘Orleans,” 1740, 1760, 2 vols. 12mo, and 1773, 4to. 2. “Coutumes du Duch, &c. d’Orleans,” 2 vols. 12mo, and 1760 and 1772, 4to: The introductions to this work are reckoned masterly. 3. “Tr. des Obligations,” 1764, 2 vols. 12mo, which has been followed by, 4. “Le Contrat de Vente de Constitution de Louage de Societe et a Cheptels de Bienfaisance de Depot, et Nantissement” these form five volumes, which are sold separately. “Traité des Contrats aleatoires,” 3 vols. “de Manage,” 2 vols. “Traité du Douaire,” 1 vol.; “Tr. du Droit d’Habitation,” “Don mutuel,” &c. 1 vol.; “Traité du Domaine, de Propriete de Possession,” 2 vols. All these works were reprinted, 1774, 4 vols. 4to. A Treatise on Fiefs has since appeared, Orleans, 1776, 2 vols. folio. He left many other manuscript works, which have not been printed ¹