, born at Blois in 1638, of a family of distinction, in the former
, born at Blois in 1638, of a family
of distinction, in the former part of his life filled some of
the first offices of the law, and soon distinguished himself
by the acuteness of his penetration, and his attention to
method. The marquis de Seignelei, his kinsman, having
induced him to enter the marine, he successively filled
the place of intendant of the French West India islands,
of the gallies of Havre, and Canada, and of those of Rochefort and la Rochelle, till 1710, when he died, the 14th of
March, much regretted. The people loved him as a
disinterested officer, and the citizens as their friend and benefactor. The learned were not less warm in their praises
of one who protected and encouraged them, took a lively
interest in their prosperity, and kept his library open for
their use. He had an excellent taste in the choice of his
books. He possessed a rich cabinet of medals, antiques,
prints, shells, and other curiosities, collected from the four
quarters of the world. His books were generally marked
in front with the words “Michaeiis Begon et amicorum.
”
His librarian having once represented to him, that by letting every body have access to them, he would lose several
of them: he very liberally replied, “I had mjch rattier
lose my books, than seem to distrust an honest man.
” He
caused to be engraved the portraits of several celebrated
persons of the seventeenth century, and collected memoirs
of their lives; from which materials Perrault composed his
history of the illustrious men of France.