, a diplomatic character, deserves some notice here, as a man of
, a diplomatic character, deserves some notice here, as a man of literature, although
we know but little of his personal history. After having
been ambassador from the court of Spain to the courts of
Petersburg!!, Lisbon, and St. James’s, he filled an honourable station at Madrid, where he employed 'his leisure
hours in lite ary pursuits. In 1781, he published a kind
of journal, entitled “Decada Epistolen,
” where he gave
periodical accounts of French works, &c. He then,
under the name of Malode Luque, undertook a translation
of the abbé Raynal’s celebrated philosophical and political
history of the two Indies, a work proscribed in Spain, and
consequently almost unknown, and he made such alterations as satisfied the inquisition itself that it would not be a
dangerous publication. He died at Madrid in 1794.
acquainted with Joseph Bonaparte, then French ambassador at Rome. Being afterwards sent to Paris, in a diplomatic character, he was favourably received, and found
, a Spanish statesman and writer, was born in 1731, at Barbanales, near Balbastro in Aragon. An early enthusiasm for the fine arts
procured him the friendship of the celebrated artist Mengs,
who was first painter to the king of Spain. After the death
of Charles III. A zara constructed, in honour of his memory,
a temple, in an antique form, in the church of St. James,
which, although not faultless, discovered very considerable
talents and taste in architecture. He was, however, soon
employed in political concerns, and was sent to Rome, under the pontificate of Clement XIII. as ecclesiastical agent
at the chancery of Rome. He was afterwards attached to
the Spanish embassy, and took a very active part in various
important negociations between the courts of Spain and
Rome. In 1796 he was employed in a more difficult undertaking, to solicit the clemency of the conqueror of Italy
in behalf of Rome, where the French nation had been insulted, and he at least acquired the esteem of general Buonaparte. About the same time he became acquainted with
Joseph Bonaparte, then French ambassador at Rome. Being afterwards sent to Paris, in a diplomatic character, he
was favourably received, and found some relief from the recollection that he had left behind him his valued friends,
his fine library, and museum of paintings and antiques.
During this mission he experienced alternate favour and
disgrace, being recalled by his court, exiled to Barcelona,
and sent again to Paris with the rank of ambassador. His
health, however, was now much impaired, and when he was
indulging the hope of being able to return to Italy, and
pass the rest of his time in the enjoyment of his friends
and favourite pursuits, his constitution suddenly gave way,
and he expired January 26, 1797. He left a very considerable fortune in furniture, pictures, busts, &c. but appears to have lost his other property. He translated, 1.
Middleton’s life of Cicero, and some fragments of Pliny
and Seneca, under the title of “Historia della Vida di M.
T. Ciceroni,
” Madrid, Introduzione alia storia naturale e alia Geografia fisica di Spagna,
” Parma, Opere di Antonio-Raffaele Mengs,
” Parma, by Bodoni,
Having an inclination to visit Italy, the bishop of Auxerre, who was going there in a diplomatic character, took him with him, but at Rome he found
Having an inclination to visit Italy, the bishop of Auxerre, who was going there in a diplomatic character, took him with him, but at Rome he found little enjoyment except in contemplating the remains of antiquity. The corruption of morals at the court of Rome appeared so atrocious in his eyes, that for many years afterwards he could not speak on the subject without indignation, and appears indeed to have conceived as bad an opinion of the court of Rome as any of the reformers, and expressed himself with as much severity. From Rome he went to Venice, and was induced to accept the office of teaching polite literature in the island of Cyprus, with a pension of two hundred crowns, and there he read lectures for two years with great success. He afterwards went into Egypt, Jerusalem, and Constantinople, and on his return home, the French ambassador at the Porte gave him letters of strong recommendation to Francis I. who appointed him his reader; and entertained him with the utmost familiarity. Chatel availed himself of this favour to procure advantages to learning and learned men; but although his sentiments were so far liberal as to admit that the church wanted reforming, he supported the catholic religion, and even assisted the inquisitors and informers. He was also averse to capital punishments for heresy, and involved himself in danger by pleading for some pretended heretics, who, it was reported, were to be put to death. He likewise appeased the king’s wrath against the Waldenses before the slaughter of Cabrioles and Merindol, and once delivered Dolet out of prison. His zeal for maintaining the rights of the Gallican church against the pretensions of the court of Rome, rendered him odious there, and the doctors of the Sorbonne were not less displeased with him for the protection he granted in 1545, to Robert Stephens, the celebrated printer. These were favourable symptoms of liberality, at least, if not of an inclination to befriend the cause of the reformation, and soften the rigours of persecution. But Chatel wanted firmness, and withdrawing his protection from Stephens, the latter was forced to retire into another country. Chatel was perhaps influenced by the favours heaped upon him by Francis T. who made him bishop of Tulle in 1539, and afterwards bishop of Macron. He is said never to have appeared to more advantage as a divine and a man of eloquence than when he prepared Francis I. for death, and delivered his funeral oration. Yet in this oration, by hinting that the soul of Francis had immediately gone to heaven, he alarmed the doctors of the Sorbonne, who complained that he was heretic enough to oppose the doctrine of purgatory. A more valid objection, perhaps, might have been his high praise of Francis I. whose character was not that of perfect purity.
d 1633, folio: but these are supposed not to have done him much honour, and Wicquefort thinks him as a diplomatic character inferior to d'Ossat in every respect. There
There was a fourth volume of his embassies and negotiations, collected by Caesar de Ligni, his secretary, and
printed at Paris in 1629 and 1633, folio: but these are
supposed not to have done him much honour, and Wicquefort thinks him as a diplomatic character inferior to
d'Ossat in every respect. There were also published
afterwards, under his name, “Perroniana,
” which, like
most of the ana, is a collection of puerilities and impertinences.