, a reformed minister, who died in Holland about 1750, was originally
, a reformed minister, who died in
Holland about 1750, was originally of France, but fled
into England to enjoy that liberty in religion which his
country refused him, and was employed as tutor in bishop
Burnet’s family. In 1710 he travelled with his pupils,
through Holland, and thence to France and Italy, according to Saxius, though we doubt whether the bishop had at
that time any sons so young as to be only beginning their
education. Be this as it may, he soon became known in.
the literary world, and we should suppose must have often
resided in Holland, as most of his publications were printed
there. The first we can trace with certainty is his “Jani
templum Christo nascente reseratum, seu Tractatus Chronologico-historicus vulgarem refellens opinionem existimantium, pacem toto terrarum orbe sub tempus Servatoris
natale stabilitam fuisse,
” &c. Rotterdam, Histoire critique de
la Republique des Lettres, from 1712 to 17 17,
” in 15 vols.
12mo. 2. “Vitae Horatii, Oviciii, et Plinii junioris,
” 3 vols.
small 8vo, and printed abroad, though dedicated to Englishmen of rank: the first at Leyden, 1708, to lord
Harvey; the second at Amsterdam, 1708, to sir Justinian Isham; the third at Amsterdam, 1709, to the bishop
of Worcester. These lives are drawn up in a
chronological order, very learnedly and very critically; and serve to
illustrate the history, not only of these particular persons,
but of the times also in which they lived. In the “Life
of Horace,
” Masson found occasion to interfere with M.
Dacier; who, however, defended his own opinions, and
prefixed his defence to the second edition of his Horace.
3. “Histoire de Pierre Bayle & de ses ouvrages,
” Amsterdam,