is mother, to whom he had ever been most affectionately attached. In the same year he was admitted a citizen of Geneva, and appointed librarian to the city. He profited
William III. invited Abauzit to settle in England, and
ordered Michael le Vassor to offer some advantageous
proposals; which, however, were not accepted. Filial aflectioil, or attachment to the country in which he had obtained
a refuge, recalled him to Geneva; where, in 1723, the
University offered him the chair of philosophy, which he
declined, ple‘ading the weakness of his constitution, and
his inability to do credit to the appointment. Jn 1726, he
lost his mother, to whom he had ever been most affectionately attached. In the same year he was admitted a
citizen of Geneva, and appointed librarian to the city. He
profited by such a favourable opportunity to improve in
useful literature. Principally attached to antiquities, he
now dedicated to his newly-adopted country the fruit of
his labours and his talents. In 1730, he published a newedition of the History and State of Geneva, which had
been originally written by David Spon, and printed in two
vols. 12mo. The work having already passed through three
editions, was committed to Abauzit. Not contented with
the mere republication, he corrected the errors, gave two
dissertations on the subject, and annexed the public acts
and memorials, that were necessary as proofs and illustrations. To these were added a copious variety of learned
and useful notes, in which he gave an ample detail of facts
which were but imperfectly related in the text. Modest
himself, he was not ambitious of fame, but assisted others
by his labours. Among those who derived benefit from
his learning and researches, M. de Meiran alone had the
gratitude to acknowledge his obligation. The labours of
Abauzit were assiduous, and his knowledge was extensive.
While he declined public notice his name was known, and
his communications were frequent to most of the celebrated
mathematicians, philosophers, and divines in Europe. Notwithstanding the simplicity of his manners, thismoclestphilosopher was not, perhaps, without a small share of vanity. For
he employed himself in discovering what to his apprehension seemed errors in the different translations of the Bible.
He could believe nothing but what he saw, or was suggested by his own ideas, or could be reduced to mathematical demonstration, and, becoming sceptical, wished to
divest’ the scriptures of several miracles. He even made
some efforts in poetry; but they were soon forgotten. He
is acknowledged to have excelled more in diligence, accuracy, and precision, than in taste or genius. Voltaire, who
had as great an aversion to miracles as Abauzit, esteemed
and consulted him. As a citizen of Geneva, the
philosopher was active in the dissensions of 1734. He exerted
himself in support of the aristocratic party, though he had
much of republican zeal. His industry was indefatigable,
and he seemed to have written and acted from the conviction of his own mind. In religion he adopted and supported the doctrines of Arianism. Though declining praise,
he acquired the esteem of many of the most eminent characters in Europe, and received an elegant compliment
from Rousseau: “No,
” says he, “this age of philosophy
will not pass without having produced one true philosopher. I know one, and I freely own, but one; but what
I regard as my supreme felicity is, that he resides in my
native country, it is in my own Country that he resides:
shall I presume to name him, whose real glorv it is to remain almost in obscurity? Yes, modest and learned
Abauzit, forgive a zeal which seeks not to promote your
fame. I would not celebrate your name in an age that is
unworthy to admire you. I would honour Geneva by distinguishing it as the place of your residence: my fellowcitizens are honoured by your presence. Happy is the country where the merit that seeks concealment is the more revealed.
” The reader will appreciate the merit of Abauzit,
in proportion to the value he sets on the esteem of Voltaire or the praises of Rousseau. He, however, who could
gain the approbation of two such opposite characters, could
have been no ordinary person. He died on the 20th of
March 1767.
, citizen of Geneva, who was born in 1726, and died in 1774, is known
, citizen of Geneva, who
was born in 1726, and died in 1774, is known by a judicious performance, entitled “Ueducation physique des
enfans,
”
, a political writer of much note in France and England, and a citizen of Geneva, was born in 1749, of an ancient family in Switzerland,
, a political writer of much
note in France and England, and a citizen of Geneva, was
born in 1749, of an ancient family in Switzerland, who
had been distinguished as magistrates and scholars. At
the age of twenty-two he was appointed, through the interest of Voltaire, professor of belles-lettres at Cassel,
and about that time he published two or three historical
tracts. He was afterwards concerned with Linguet in the
publication of the “Annales Politiques,
” at Lausanne.
In Mercure Britannique,
” which came
out once a fortnight, nearly to the time of his death. This
event took place at the house of his friend count Lally Tollendal, at Richmond, May 10, 1800. His “Mercure,
”
and other works, although of a temporary nature, contain
facts, and profound views of the leading events of his time,
which will be of great importance to future historians, and
during publication contributed much to enlighten the
public mind.
, professor of civil law at Geneva, about 1724, was created a citizen of Geneva in 1726, and died there in 1760. He published “Four
, professor of civil law
at Geneva, about 1724, was created a citizen of Geneva
in 1726, and died there in 1760. He published “Four
letters on Ecclesiastical Discipline,
” Utrecht, A
description of the Government
” of the Germanic Body,“Geneva, 1742, 8vo, and a few other professional tracts.
His eldest son, Louis Necker, a pupil of D'Alembert’s,
became professor of mathematics at Geneva in 1757, but
quitted that city for Paris, where he entered into partnership
with the bankers Girardot and Haller, the son of the celebrated physician; and in 1762 settled at Marseilles, whence
in 1791 he returned to Geneva. In 1747 he published
” Theses de Electricitate,“4to, and wrote in the French
Encyclopaedia, the articles of Forces and Friction. There
is also a solution of an algebraical problem by him in the
” Memoirs des savans etrangers," in the collection of the
Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences. He died about the
end of the last century.
n of “Oeuvres de Baillou,” 1762. This eminent practitioner died Nov. 30, 1781. He was at that time a citizen of Geneva, a title of which he was very proud, a member of the
, a celebrated physician, was
apparently the grandson of Lewis Troncbin, and was born
at Geneva in 1709. His father, John Robert Tronchin,
having lost his property in the fatal Mississippi speculation,
Theodore left home at the age of eighteen, and came to
England to lord Bolingbroke, to whom he is said to have
been related, we know not in what degree; but Bolingbroke
had it not in his power to do much for him, and he went to
Holland to study chemistry under Boerhaave, whose work
on that subject had engaged his attention, and made him
desiror.s of seeing the author. Boerhaave is said to have
soon distinguished Tronchin from the general mass of his
pupils, and in 1731 advised him to settle at Amsterdam,
where he introduced him to practice, and in a, short time
Tronchin was at the head of the physicians of Amsterdam.
But having married a young lady of the family of the celebrated patriot De Witt, he fancied that the name would be
disgraced by his accepting a place at court, and therefore
he refused that of first physician to the stadtholder, and
quitting Amsterdam when the stadtholderate was made
hereditary, returned to Geneva, where he could live in a
pure republic. Here the council gave him the title of honorary professor of medicine, but no duties were attached
to it. It was not his intention, however, to be idle, and he
gave lectures on the general principles of medicine, in
which he endeavoured to free the science from rooted prejudices and false theories. In 1756 he was called to Paris
to inoculate the children of the duke of Orleans. He bad
introduced this practice both in Holland and at Geneva,
and, in the former at least, without almost any opposition;
and the success he had in his Hrst trial in France, on these
princes of the blood, having contributed not a little to his
celebrity, he rose to the highest honours of his profession,
and acquired great wealth. In 1765 he was invited to
Parma to inoculate the royal children of that court. Although averse to accept any situations which might form a
restraint upon his time or studies, he consented to the title
of first physician to the duke of Orleans, and in 1766 fixed
his residence at Paris. The arrival of an eminent physician
in Paris is always accompanied by a revolution in practice.
Tronchin brought with him a new regimen, new medicines,
and new methods of cure, and many of them certainly of
great importance, particularly the admission and change of
air in sick rooms, and a more hardy method of bringing up
children; he also recommend-ed to the ladies more exercise
and less effeminacy in thair modes of living and in diet.
His prescriptions were generally simple; but perhaps his
fame was chiefly owing to his introducing the practice of
inoculation, which he pursued upon the most rational plan.
In all this he had to encounter long established prejudices,
and being a stranger, had to contend with the illiberality of
some of the faculty, obstacles which he removed by a
steady, humane course, and his frequent success completed his triumph. He was in person a fine figure; there
was a mixture of sweetness and dignity in his countenance;
his air and external demeanour inspired affection, and commanded respect; his dress, voice, and manner, were graceful and pleasing: all which no doubt gave an additional
luslre to his reputation, and perhaps an efficacy to his prescriptions. His extensive practice prevented his writing
or publishing more than a few papers on some medical
cases, one “De colica pictorum,
” Oeuvres de
Baillou,
”