rsal history, a fragment of which was published by Miller, at Halle, 1767, 8vo. After his death, the count de la Lippe published a translation of the Catiline conspiracy
Besides what we have mentioned, Abbt wrote a great
number of works in German or Latin. His first publications were theological: in 1757, he wrote on “the Burial
of Moses,
” Halle, 4to, which, contrary to the usual opinion, he contended was performed by men. In 1758, he
published a thesis, to prove that the “Confusion of Tongues
at Babel was not a punishment,
” Halle, 4to; and another
on the “Search of Truth,
” Halle, Treatise on the influence of the Beautiful on
Science,
” Rinteln, Programma on the difficulty of measuring the
Human Faculties,
” Rinteln, Consolatory Epistle to Dr. Schwartz,
” Recherches sur les Sentiments Moraux, traduites de l'Allemand de M. Moses Mendelsohn,
” Life of his old friend professor Baumgarten,
”
folly of persecution among Protestants,
” is ascribed to him. “Reflections on a plan of
Study for young men of rank,
” was written by him in
,” Venice, 1499, 4to, from its containing a hundred fables, which he inscribed to Octavian Ubaldini, count de Mercatelli. His fables have been often printed with those
, an Italian writer, was born
at Macerata, in La Marca de Ancona, and devoted himself
early to the study of polite literature, in which he made
great progress. He taught the belles lettres at Urbino,
where he was librarian to duke Guido Ubaldo; to whom
he dedicated a small piece entitled “Annotationes varioe,
”
explaining some dark passages in the ancient authors.
14e published it under the pontificate of Alexander VI.
and another treatise also, entitled “Hecatomythium,
”
Venice, Libri duo de quibusdam locis obscuris in libro Ovidii in
Ibin, hactenus male interpretatis,
” Venice, 4to, without
date. The date of his birth and death are not known, but
his works appeared at the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth century.
republished by Scriverius, Leyden, 1633, 12mo, with Vegetius and others on military affairs; and the Count de Beausobre published a French translation, with other pieces
, probably, according to Casaubon, a native of Stymphalus, an ancient city of the Peloponnesus, is one of the oldest authors on the art of war: he is supposed to have lived in the time of Aristotle, or about the year 361 B.'C.; and to have been emperor of Arcadia, and commander at the battle of Mantinea. Casaubon published his work, with a Latin translation, along with his edition of Polybius, fol. Paris, 1609. It was republished by Scriverius, Leyden, 1633, 12mo, with Vegetius and others on military affairs; and the Count de Beausobre published a French translation, with other pieces on the same subject, and a learned commentary, Paris, 1757, 2 vols. 4to.
t. 10. “Discours prononcé a la seance de la societé d'agriculture de Lyon,” 1785, 8vo. 11. “Eloge de Count de Gebelin,” 1785, 8vo. This learned Protestant being denied
, a descendant of the preceding, was born at Lyons in 1753,
and died at Paris, 1789. He passed the greater part of
his life in travelling and writing, and was a member of
various academies. His works are: 1. “Dialogue 'entre
Alexandre et Titus,
” 8vo; in which he pleads the cause
of humanity against those who are called heroes and conquerors. 2. “Observations d‘un citoyen sur le nouveau
plan d’impositions,
” Œuvres diverses,
lues le jour de sa reception a l'academie de Lyon,
” Eloge de Quesnoy,
” Necrologe des Hommes celebres.
” His attachment to the economists induced him to pay this respect to
one of the chief of those writers. 5. “Eloge de
Chamousset,
” 1776, 8vo. 6. “La Paresse,
” a poem; pretended
to be translated from the Greek of Nicander, 1777, 8vo.
7. “CEuvres diverses,
” Discours,
”
&c. on the question whether the Augustan age ought to
be preferred to that of Louis XIV. as to learning and
science, 1784, 8vo. This he determines in favour of the
age of Louis; but a severe criticism having appeared in
the Journal de Paris, he published an answer, dated Neufchatel, but printed at Paris. 9. “Discours politiques,
historiques, et critiques, sur quelques Gouvernments de
l'Europe,
” Discours prononcé a
la seance de la societé d'agriculture de Lyon,
” Eloge de Count de Gebelin,
” Curiosites des environs de Paris.
” His
numerous writings, his attachment to Quesnoy, and his
liberality to count de Gebelin, procured him a considerable share of celebrity during his life, although his character was tinged with some personal oddities, and peculiarities of opinion, which frequently excited the pleasantry of
his contemporaries. It is given as an instance of his vanity,
that when he had erected some buildings for the accommodation of the frequenters of a fair, he inscribed on the
front: “Gentium commodo, Camillus III.
”
ingen, was born at Braunfels, in the county of Solras, August 10th, 1604. His father was minister to count de Solms-Braunfels, and Inspector of the churches which belong
, professor of history and Greek at Groningen, was born at Braunfels, in the county of Solras, August 10th, 1604. His father was minister to count de Solms-Braunfels, and Inspector of the churches which belong to that county, and his mother, daughter to John Piscator, a famous professor of divinity at Herborn, in the county of Nassau. He performed his humanity-studies at Herborn, and then studied philosophy at the same place, under Alstedius and Piscator, after which he went to Bremen, where he lived seven years. He was one of the most constant auditors of Gerard de Neuville, a physician and a philosopher; and, as he had a desire to attain a public professorship, he prepared himself for it by several lectures which he read in philosophy. He returned to his own country in 1628, where he did not continue long, but went to Groningen, on the invitation of his kind patron, Henry Alting. He read there, for some time, lectures upon all parts of philosophy, after which Alting made him tutor to his sons, and wheo they had no longer occasion for his instruction, he procured him the same employment with a prince Palatine, which lasted for three years; part of which he spent at Leyden, and part at the Hague, at the court of the prince of Orange. He was called to Groningen in 1634, to succeed Janus Gebhardus, who had been professor of history and Greek. He filled that chair with great assiduity and reputation till his death, which happened October 17, 1676. He was library -keeper to the university, and a great frierAi to Mr. Des Cartes, which he shewed both during the life and after the death of that illustrious philosopher. He married the daughter of a Swede, famous, among other things, for charity towards those who suffered for the sake of religion.
was employed in several political offices, and received from Philip III. king of Spain, the title of count de Barata. He died June 15, 1656. Much of his time had been
, a Milanese count, the son of
Horace Archinto and Leonora Tousa, was born about the
end of the sixteenth century. He was employed in several political offices, and received from Philip III. king of
Spain, the title of count de Barata. He died June 15,
1656. Much of his time had been devoted to the study of
the antiquities of his country, and he formed a large collection of antiques, of which he published descriptions.
His principal works are, 1. “Epilogati racconti delle
aniichita, c nobilta dell a famiglia Archinti, &c. Aggiunlavi
una breve expositione degli antichi marmi, che ne' palagi
di questa famiglia si leggono,
” Milan, 1648, fol. 2. “Collectanea antiquitatum in ejus domo,
” fol. without date or
place, and so rare as to be unknown to Argellati, who
takes no notice of it in his library of Milanese writers; but
it is frequently mentioned by Muratori.
in great estimation, particularly a learned essay on the famous troubadour Sordello, and an eloge on count de Firmian (1783). He was a liberal patron of the arts, and
, a good Latin poet of
the sixteenth century, the second son of count Oderic,
privy counsellor to the emperor Maximilian, was born
Dec. 3, 1479, at Arco, a small town of the Tyrol, in the
diocese of Trente, and an ancient fief of his family. He
was at first page to the emperor Frederic III. the father
of Maximilian; but devoting himself much to study, acquired a critical knowledge of the ancient languages, and
spoke all the modern ones as easily as his own. He afterwards served in the army; but the death of his brother
having enabled him to succeed to his paternal estates, he
obtained leave to retire, and was afterwards in several public employments. Still the love of literature predominated,
and induced him to form an intimacy with Paul Jovius,
Annibal Caro, Flaminio, Fracastorius, and other eminent
men of his time. He is thought to have died about the
end of 1546. His poems were first published, at Mantua,
in 1546, 4to, under the title of “Nicolai Archii comitis
Numeri,
” a very rare edition, but reprinted by Comino,
with the poems of Fumano and Fracastorius, Padua, 1759,
2 vols. 4to. He wrote other works, which are yet in manuscript. One of his descendants, count Gumbattista
D'Arco, imperial intendant at Mantua, and a member of
the royal academy of that city, was also author of some
works in great estimation, particularly a learned essay on
the famous troubadour Sordello, and an eloge on count de
Firmian (1783). He was a liberal patron of the arts, and
Mantua is indebted to him for the fine original bust of
Virgil.
lbert of Austria, secretary to the empress Maria of Austria, and secretary of state and of war under count de Lemes, the viceroy of Naples, where he went to reside in
, the name of two Spanish poets, brothers, and natives of Balbastro in Aragon, who descended
from a family originally of Ravenna. Their poems were
published under the title of “Rimas de Lupercio, i del
doctor Bartolome Leonardo de Argensola,
” Saragossa,
Conquista
delas islas Molucas,
” Madrid, Primera parte
de los analesde Aragon que prosigue los de Zurita,
” Saragossa,
, count de Camerano, a nobleman ef Asti in Piedmont, flourished about
, count de Camerano, a nobleman
ef Asti in Piedmont, flourished about 1550. In his youth
he followed the profession of arms, and was sent by the
duke of Savoy, with four hundred men, to assist Maximilian II. when he held a diet to oppose the army of Soliman,
an event which is said to have been commemorated by a
medal, with the inscription, “Fredericus Asinarius co.
Camerani.
” Asinari amused his leisure hours with poetry,
and submitted his compositions to the celebrated Annibal
Caro and they were afterwards published in various collections. 1 “Two Sonnets,
” in the second part of the
“Scelta di Rime di diversi excellenti Poeti,
” by Zabata,
Four Canzoni, and a Sonnet,
” in the
“Muse Toscane
” of Gherard Borgogni, Eighty-two pieces, sonnets, canzoni, madrigals,
”
&c. in Borgogni’s “Rime di diversi illustri Poeti,
” Venice, Vari
Sonetti e Canzoni
” “II Tancredi,
” a tragedy “Tre
libri delle transformazioni
” and “Tre libri dell‘ via
d’Orlando.
” Copies of these are also in the library of St.
Mark at Venice. The tragedy of Tancred was printed at
Paris, 1587, 8vo, under the title of “Gismonda,
” one of
the dramatis persons, and attributed to Torquato Tasso.
Next year an edition was printed at Bergamo, 4to, in which
this error was corrected, but another substituted by stating, that it was the performance of Ottavio Asinari, the father of our author and the editor, Gherard Borgogni,
either was; or affected to be ignorant of the edition previously printed at Paris.
is predecessor, in the church of the Holy Virgin at Copenhagen, and to the brother of this lady, the count de Griffenfeld, who had great interest at court. Bagger, however,
, bishop of Copenhagen, was born at Lunden in 1646. His father Olaus Bagger taught theology in the school of Lunden, but sent his son to Copenhagen for education. He afterwards travelled to Germany, the Netherlands, and England, studying under the most able masters in divinity and the oriental languages, and then returned to Copenhagen. When Lunden became a part of the Swedish dominions, the king established an academy there, and Bagger was appointed to teach the oriental languages. He had scarcely begun to give lessons, however, when by the advice of his friends of Copenhagen, he solicited and obtained, in 1674, the office of first pastor of the church of the Holy Virgin in that metropolis. In 1675, after the usual disputation, he got the degree of doctor, and on the death of John Wandalin, bishop of Zealand or Copenhagen, he was appointed to succeed him, at the very early age of twenty-nine. His promotion is said to have been in part owing to his wife Margaret Schumacher, the widow of Jacob Fabri, his predecessor, in the church of the Holy Virgin at Copenhagen, and to the brother of this lady, the count de Griffenfeld, who had great interest at court. Bagger, however, filled this high office with reputation, as well as that of dean of theology, which is attached to the bishopric of Copenhagen. He revised the ecclesiastical rites which Christian V. had passed into a law, as well as the liturgy, epistles, and gospels, collects, &c. to which he prefixed a preface. He also composed and published several discourses, very learned and eloquent, some in Latin, and others in the Danish tongue. He died in 1693, at the age of 47. By his second wife, he left a son Christian Bagger, who became an eminent lawyer, and in 1737 rose to be grand bailly of Bergen, and a counsellor of justice.
the command of the Achilles of 60 guns. In 1759, he signalized his courage in an engagement with the Count de St. Florentin, French man of war, of equal force with the
, brother to the preceding, and fifth son of the first lord viscount Harrington, was born in 1729, and entered very young into the service of the British navy, passing through the inferior stations of midshipman and lieutenant with great reputation. He first went to sea in the Lark, under the command of lord George Graham, and in 1744, he was appointed a lieutenant by sir William Rowley, then commanding a squadron in the Mediterranean. In 1746, he had the rank of master and commander in the Weazcl sloop, in which he took a French privateer off Flushing. During the same year, or in 1747, he became post-captain, by being appointed totheBellona frigate (formerly a French privateer) in which he took the Duke de Chartres outward bound East India ship, of 800 tons, and of superior force, after a severe engagement, in which the French lost many killed and wounded. After the peace of 1748, he had the command of the Sea-horse, a twenty-gun ship in the Mediterranean, and while there, was dispatched from Gibraltar to Tetuan, to 'negociate the redemption of some British captives, in which he succeeded. He had afterwards the command of the Crown man of war, on the Jamaica station, and was in commission during the greater part of the peace. When the war broke out again between Great Britain and France, in 1756, he was appointed to the command of the Achilles of 60 guns. In 1759, he signalized his courage in an engagement with the Count de St. Florentin, French man of war, of equal force with the Achilles she fought for two hours, and had 116 men killed or wounded, all her masts shot away, and it was with difficulty she was got into port. The Achilles had twenty-five men killed or wounded. In the Achilles, captain Barrington was after this dispatched to America, from whence she returned about the close of the year 1760. In the Spring of the ensuing year, captain Barrington served under admiral Keppel, at the siege of Belleisle. To secure a landing for the troops, it became necessary to attack a fort and other works, in a sandy bay, intended to be the place of debarkation; three ships, one of which was the Achilles, were destined to this service. Captain Barrington got first to his station, and soon silenced the fire from the fort and from the shore, and cleared the coast for the landing the troops, and although, soon obliged to re-embark, they were well covered by the Achilles, and other ships. Ten days after the troops made good their landing, at a place where the mounting the rock was, as the commanders expressed it, barely possible, and captain Barrington was sent home with this agreeable news. After the peace of 1763, captain Barrington in 1768 commanded the Venus frigate, in which ship the late duke of Cumberland was entered as a midshipman. In her he sailed to the Mediterranean, and as these voyages are always intended both for pleasure and improvement, he visited the most celebrated posts in that sea. Soon after his return, the dispute between Great Britain and Spain, respecting Falkland’s Island, took place, and on the fitting out of the fleet, captain Barrington was appointed to the command of the Albion, of 74 guns, and soon after made colonel of marines. He found some little difficulty, from a scarcity of seamen, in manning his ship, and had recourse to a humourous experiment. He offered a bounty. for all lamp-lighters, and men of other trades which require alertness, who would enter; and soon procured a crew, but of such a description that they were, for some time, distinguished by the title of Barrington‘ s blackguards. He soon, however, changed their complexion. He had long borne the character of being a thoroughrbred seaman, and a rigid disciplinarian. His officers under him were the same, and they succeeded in making the Albion one of the best disciplined ships in the royal navy. The convention between the two courts putting an end to all prospect of hostilities, the Albion was ordered, as a guardship, to Plymouth; and in this situation captain Barrington commanded her for three years, made himself universally esteemed, and shewed that he possessed those accomplishments which adorn the officer and the man. In the former capacity he had so completely established his character, as to be looked up to as one who, in case of any future war, would be intrusted with some important command. In the latter, the traits of benevolence which are known, exclusive of those which he was careful to keep secret, shew, that with the roughness of a seaman, he possessed the benevolence of a Christian. An economical style of living enabled him to indulge his inclination that way, with a moderate income. On the breaking out of the war with France, captain Barrington, having then been thirty-one years a post-captain in the navy, was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral, and dispatched with a squadron to the West Indies. He found himself, on his arrival, so much inferior to the enemy, that he could riot preserve Dominica from falling into their hands. However, before the French fleet under D’Estaing could reach the West Indies, he was joined at Barbadoes by the troops under general Grant from America. He then immediately steered for St. Lucia, and the British troops had gained possession of a part of the island, when the French fleet, under the command of count D‘Estaing, appeared in sight. ’ Barrington lay in the Grand Cul de Sac, with only three ships-of the line, three of fifty guns, and some-frigates, and with this force, had not only to defend himself against ten sail of the line, many frigates, and American armed ships, but also to protect a large fleet of transports, having on board provisions and stores for the army, and which there had not yet been time to land; so that the fate of the army depended on that of the fleet. During the night the admiral caused the transports to be warped into the bay, and moored the men of war in a line without them. D'Estaing, elated with the hopes of crushing this small naval force under Barrington, attacked him next morning, first with ten sail of the line, but failing, he made a second attack with his whole force, and was equally unsuccessful, being only able to carry off one single transport, which the English had not time to warp within the line. This defence is among the first naval atchievements of the war. In an attack by land, on general Meadows’s intrenchments, the count was equally repulsed, and the island soon after capitulated. Admiral Byron shortly after arriving in the West Indies, Barrington, of course, became second in command only. In the action which took place between the British fleet and the French on the 6th of July, 1775, admiral Barrington, in the Prince of Wales, commanded the van division. The enemy were much superior to the English, but this discovery was not made till it was too late to remedy it. Admiral Barrington, in the Prince of Wales, with the Boyne and Sultan, pressed forward, soon closed with the enemy’s fleet, and bravely sustained their attack until joined by other ships. It was not, however, the intention of the French admiral to risk a general engagement, having the conquest of Grenada in view, and his ships being cleaner than those of the English, enabled him to choose his distance. The consequence was, that several of the British ships were very severely handled, whilst others had no share in the action. Barrington was wounded, and had twenty-six men killed, and forty-six wounded, in his own ship. Soon after this engagement, admiral Barrington, on account of ill-health, returned to England. These two actions established our admiral’s reputation, and he was looked on as one of the first officers in the English navy. The ferment of parties during the close of that war occasioned many unexpected refusals of promotion; and as admiral Barrington was intimately connected with lord Shelburne, col. Barre, and several other leading men in opposition, it was probably owing to this circumstance that he refused the command of the channel fleet, which was offered to him after the resignation of admiral Geary in 1780, and on his declining to accept it, conferred on admiral Darby. In 1782, he served, as second in command, under lord Howe, and distinguished himself at the memorable relief of Gibraltar. The termination of the war put a period to his active services. In February 1786, he was made lieutenant-general of marines; and on Sept. 24, 1787, admiral of the blue. During the last ten years of his life, his ill state of health obliged him to decline all naval command. He died at his lodgings in the Abbey Green, Bath, August 16, 1800.
the service of the duke of Savoy, by whom he was then presented to Charles VIII. who sent him to the count de Ligny, of the imperial house of Luxembourg, that he might
Bayard continued about six months in the service of the duke of Savoy, by whom he was then presented to Charles VIII. who sent him to the count de Ligny, of the imperial house of Luxembourg, that he might be brought up in his family. At the age of seventeen years he carried away all the honour of a tournament, which the lord of Vaudrey, one of the roughest knights of his time, held in the city of Lyons. In 1494, Charles VIII. resolved to assert his right to the crown of Naples, and therefore passed into Italy at the head of a numerous army, consisting of the prime nobility of his kingdom: so great an expedition, says Berville (from whom this article is taken) was never fitted out with so much speed, splendour, and success. The conquest, however, was almost as soon lost as gained. Charles, as he was returning to France with less than 10,000 men, was attacked near Fornoue by an army of six times the number. Upon this occasion he behaved with the greatest intrepidity, and gained a complete victory, and Bayard distinguished himself in an extraordinary manner. He took a standard from a party of fifty men, and presented it to the king, who rewarded him with a present of 500 crowns.
ame generous spirit he divided 2,400 ounces of silver plate, which he received as a present from the count de Ligny, among his friends and followers. Having defeated Audre,
The confidence with which he inspired the troops, and the love which they had for him, were not merely the effects of his courage: they knew that his prudence was not inferior to his valour, and that he never would expose them wantonly or rashly: he was besides so disinterested, that he left the booty wholly to others, without reserving any part of it for himself. One day, when he had taken 15,Ooo ducats of gold from the Spaniards, he gave half of them to capt. Terdieu, and distributed the rest among the soldiers who accompanied him in the expedition. With the same generous spirit he divided 2,400 ounces of silver plate, which he received as a present from the count de Ligny, among his friends and followers. Having defeated Audre, the Venetian general, he took Brisse, and a lady of that city presenting him with 2,500 pistoles, to prevent her house from being pillaged, Jie divided them into three parts; 1000 he gave to each of the two daughters of the lady, to help, as he said, to marry them, and the 500 which remained he caused to be distributed among the poor nunneries that had suffered most in the pillage of the place. In this lady’s house he lodged until he had recovered from a dangerous wound which he received in the action.
d; and he went immediately and locked liimself up in the town. Two days after he had entered it, the count de Nassau, and capt.’ de Sickengen invested the place with 40,000
Bayard also made an expedition into Piedmont, where he took Prosper Colonnes, the pope’s lieutenant-general, prisoner. Chabannes, who was marshal of France, and Humbercourt and d‘Aubigny, two general officers, all much superior in rank to Bayard, gave up the honour of conducting the expedition to him, and served in it under his orders. But the defence of Mezieres completed the military reputation of this extraordinary man. This place was far from being in a condition to sustain a siege, and it had been resolved in a council of war to burn it, and ruin the adjacent country, that the enemy might find neither shelter nor subsistence. But Bayard opposed this resolution,and told the king that no place was weak which had honest men to defend it. He then offered to undertake its defence, and engaged to give a good account of it. His proposal was accepted; and he went immediately and locked liimself up in the town. Two days after he had entered it, the count de Nassau, and capt.’ de Sickengen invested the place with 40,000 men. Bayard so animated his soldiers, sowed such dissention between the two generals who besieged him, and so effectually defeated all the attempts of the Imperialists, that in three weeks he obliged them to raise the siege, with the loss of many men, and without once making the assault. All France now resounded with the praises of Bayard: the king received him at Fervagues with caresses and encomiums of the most extraordinary kind: he created him a knight of his own order, and gave him, by way of distinction, a company of an hundred men armed in chief, which was scarce ever given but to princes of the blood.
ad been about two years at Geneva, at Mr. Basnage’s recommendation he entered into the family of the count de Dhona, lord of Copet, as tutor to his children; but not liking
Some time after Mr. Bayle’s conversion, Mr. Naudis de Bruguiere, a young gentleman of great wit and penetration, and a relation of his, happened to come to Toulouse, where he lodged in the same house with him. They disputed warmly about religion, and after having pushed the arguments on both sides with great vigour, they used to examine them over again coolly. These familiar disputes often puzzled Mr. Bayle, and made him distrust several opinions of the church of Rome; and he began to suspect that he had embraced them too precipitately. Some time after Mr. de Pradals came to Toulouse, whom Mr. Bayle’s father had desired to visit him, hoping he would in a little time gain his confidence; and this gentleman so far succeeded, that Bayle one day owned to him his having been too hasty in entering into the church of Rome, since he now found several of her doctrines contrary to reason and scripture. August 1670, he departed secretly from Toulouse, where he had staid eighteen months, and retired to Mazeres in the Lauragais, to a country-house of Mr. du Vivie. His elder brother came thither the day after, with some ministers of the neighbourhood; and next day Mr. Rival, minister of Saverdun, received his abjuration in presence of his elder brother and two other ministers, after which they obliged him instantly to set out for Geneva. Soon after his arrival here, Mr. de Normandie, a syndic of the republic, having heard of his great character and abilities, employed him as tutor to his sons. Mr. Basnage at that time lodged with this gentleman, and it was here Mr. Bayle commenced his acquaintance with him. When he had been about two years at Geneva, at Mr. Basnage’s recommendation he entered into the family of the count de Dhona, lord of Copet, as tutor to his children; but not liking the solitary life he led in this family, he left it, and went to Roan in Normandy, where he was employed as tutor to a merchant’s son; but he soon grew tired of this place also. His great ambition was to be at Paris; he went accordingly thither in March 1675, and, at the recommendation of the marquis de Ruvigny, was chosen tutor to messieurs de Beringhen, brothers to M. de Beringhen, counsellor in the parliament of Paris.
selves from the inclemency of the weather, formed themselves into a congress, and after choosing the count de Benyowsky their chief or captain, they swore with great solemnity
The count having signed this engagement, instead of
being set at liberty, was re-conducted to his prison, and
there confined till 4th December 1769, when, about two
hours after midnight, an officer with seven soldiers came
to him and he was thrown upon a sledge to which two
horses were harnessed, and immediately driven away with
the greatest swiftness. The darkness of the night prevented the count from discerning the objects around him
but on the approach of day-light he perceived that major
Wynblath, Vassili Panow, Hippolitus Stephanow, Asaph
Baturin, Ivan Sopronow, and several other prisoners, were
the companions of his misfortunes and after suffering
from the brutality of their conductor a series of hardships,
in passing through Tobolzk, the capital of Siberia, the
city of Tara, the town and river of Tomsky, the villages
of Jakutzk and Judorua, they embarked in the harbour of
Ochoczk, on the 26th October 1770, and arrived at
Kamschatka on the 3d December following. The ensuing
day they were conducted before Mr. Nilow, the governor;
when it was intimated to them that they should be set at
liberty on the following day, and provided with subsistence
for three days, after which they must depend upon themselves for their maintenance that each person should receive from the chancery a musket and a lance, with one
pound of powder, four pounds of lead, a hatchet, several
knives and other instruments, and carpenter’s tools, with
which they might build cabins in any situations they chose,
at the distance of one league from the town but that they
should be bound to pay in furs, during the first year, each
one hundred roubles, in return for these advantages; that
every one must work at the corvee one day in the week
for the service of government, and not absent themselves
from their huts for twenty-four hours without the governor’s
permission and after some other equally harsh terms, it
was added, that their lives being granted to them for no
other purpose than to implore the mercy of God, and the
remission of their sins, they could be employed only in
the meanest works to gain their daily subsistence. Under
these regulations the exiles settled the places of their habitations, built miserable huts to shelter, themselves from
the inclemency of the weather, formed themselves into a
congress, and after choosing the count de Benyowsky their
chief or captain, they swore with great solemnity mutual
friendship and eternal fidelity. Among the number of
unhappy wretches who had long groaned under the miseries
of banishment, was a Mr. Crustiew, who had acquired
considerable ascendancy over his fellow-sufferers; and to
obtain the particular confidence and esteem of this man
was the first object of the count’s attention in which he
sogn succeeded,. The pains and perils incident to the
situation to which these men were reduced, were borne for
some time in murmuring sufferance, until the accidental
finding an old copy of Anson’s Voyage inspired them with an
idea of making an escape from Kamschatka to the Marian
islands; and the count, Mr. Panow, Baturin, Stephanow,
Solmanow, majors Wynblath, Crustiew, and one Wasili, an
old and faithful servant of the count’s, who had followed his
master into exile, formed a confederacy for this purpose.
While these transactions were secretly passing, the fame
of count Benyowsky’s rank and abilities reached the ear of
the governor and as he spoke several languages, he was
after some time admitted familiarly into the house, and at
length appointed to superintend the education of his son.
and his three daughters. “One day,
” says the count,
ft while I was exercising my office of language-master, the
youngest of the three daughters, whose name was Aphanasia, who was sixteen years of age, proposed many questions concerning my thoughts in my present situation^
which convinced me that her father had given them some
information concerning my birth and misfortunes. I therefore gave them an account of my adventures, at which
my scholars appeared to be highly affected, but the
youngest wept very much. She was a beautiful girl, and
her sensibility created much emotion in my mind but,
alas, I was an exile" The merits of the count, however,
soon surmounted the disadvantages of his situation, in the
generous mind of miss Nilow, and the increasing intimacy
and confidence which he daily gained in the family, joined
to the advantages of a fine person and most insinuating
address, soon converted the feelings of admiration into
the flame of love; and on the llth of January 1771, madame Nilow, the mother, consented that her daughter
should do the honours of an entertainment then in contemplation, and be publicly declared his future spouse.
But the count, though he had cultivated and obtained the
affections of his fair pupil, had acted more from policy
than passion, and, intending to use her interest rather as
a means of effectuating the meditated escape of himself
and his companions, than as any serious object of matrimonial union, contrived to suspend the nuptials, by persuading the governor to make an excursion from Kamschatka to the neighbouring islands, with a view or under
pretence of establishing a new colony. During these transactions the exiles were secretly at work; and in order to
conceal their design from all suspicion, Mr. Crustiew and
Mr. Panow were on the 30th of March deputed to wait on
the governor with five and twenty of their associates, to
request that he would be pleased to receive the title of
Protector of the new colony; and the embassy was not
only favourably received, but orders were given to prepare every thing that might be necessary for the execution
of the project. At this crisis, however, an accident occurred which had nearly overturned the success of the
scheme; and as it tends to discover the disposition of the
count, we shall relate it in his own words.
ncle enabled him to pursue his studies at Upsal, where he was appointed tutor to the children of the count de la Gardie, grand chancellor of the kingdom, He afterwards
, archbishop of Upsal, was born in
Sweden in 1642, at a village called Benzeby, whence he
took his name. His parents were of mean condition, but
an uncle enabled him to pursue his studies at Upsal, where
he was appointed tutor to the children of the count de la
Gardie, grand chancellor of the kingdom, He afterwards
travelled in Germany, France, and England, and on his
return to his country, was appointed professor of history
and morals. Having also made great progress in theological studies, he was created doctor of that faculty and
appointed professor. In 1677 he was promoted to the
bishopric of Strengnes, and in 1700, to the archbishopric
of Upsal, which he held until his death, Feb. 17, 1709. He
was twice married, and by his first wife had thirteen children, of whom three of the sons became archbishops of
Upsal. Benzelius instructed Charles XII. in theological
studies, and that prince preserved always a high esteem for
him. The archbishop wrote an “Abridgment of Ecclesiastical History,
” several dissertations on subjects of theology and ecclesiastical history, and a Latin translation, with
notes, of many of the homilies of St. Chrysostom, which he
made from manuscripts in the Bodleian library. He had
also the superintendance of the edition of the Bible, in the
Swedish language, which Charles XII. ordered to be published in 1703, with engravings, and which still bears the
name of that monarch. Very few alterations, however,
were introduced in this edition, as the divines of the time
could not agree on certain disputed passages, and an entire
new translation was reserved for the reign of Gustavus III.
. After finishing his studies at the university of that city, he became preceptor to the children of count de St. Souplet, who always testified his respect for him on
, an eminent French antiquary,
was born at Rheims, March 1, 1567, and not 1557, as asserted by Bayle, Moreri, and Niceron. After finishing his
studies at the university of that city, he became preceptor
to the children of count de St. Souplet, who always testified his respect for him on account of the pains he bestowed
on their education. He then was admitted an advocate,
and appointed law-professor and syndic of the city, a place
which he filled during many of the elections. His talents
and virtues were so highly estimated by his fellow-citizens,
that as a mark of their confidence they employed him on
their affairs at Paris. During his visits to that metropolis,
he commenced a friendship with Dupuy and Peiresc, and
formed an acquaintance with the president de Bellievre,
who obtained for him the place of historiographer by brevet, with a pension of two hundred crowns. He was on a
visit at the country-house of this celebrated magistrate,
when he was attacked by a fever, which terminated fatally,
August 18, 1623, in his fifty -seventh year. The president
honoured him with an affectionate epitaph, which is printed
in his two principal works. He is particularly known in the
literary world by his “Histoire des grands chemins de
l'empire Remain,
” a work in which he was assisted by his
friend Peiresc, who furnished him with many necessary
documents. It was first printed in 4to, 1622, and in the
course of a century became very scarce. In 1712 the first
book of it was translated into English, and published at London, in 8vo, entitled “The general history of the Highways
in all parts of the world, particularly in Great Britain.
” In
De viis antiquorum Romanorum in Italia,
” and
doubtless would have availed himself of Bergier’s labours.
Besides this history of the Roman roads, Bergier had begun a history of Rheims, the manuscript of which the president de Bellievre wished Andre Duschesne to complete,
but some obstruction arising on the part of the chapter of
Rheims, who refused Duschesne access to their archives,
he declined proceeding with the undertaking. The son of
the author, however, John Bergier, unwilling that the whole
should be lost, published the two books left complete by his
father, with a sketch of the other fourteen of which it^as to
consist. This wasentitled “Dessein de I'Histoire de Reims,
”
ibid. Le point
du Jour, ou Traite du Commencement des Jours et de l'endroit ou il est etabli sur la terre,
” Rheims, Archemeron.
” His object is to attain some general rule for avoiding the disputes respecting the celebration of the Catholic
festivals. 2. “Le Bouquet royal,
” Paris, Police generale de la France,
”
ident of one of the chambers of inquiry in parliament, bore the name of Rieux another was called the count de Coubert, and his grandson, Anne-Gabriel-Henry Bernard, assumed
, an opulent financier of France,
was the son of Samuel Bernard, an engraver (mentioned by^trutt), whodied in 1687. He was born in 1651, but
how educated, or by what means he raised his fortune, we
are nor told Under the ministry of Chamillard he became
a farmer general, and accumulated a capital of thirty-three
mi i lions, of which he made a very liberal use, but seems
to have been proudly aware of the superiority of lender
0ver borrower. When Louis XIV. wanted supplies, Bernard grained them, but always in consequence of his majesty’s applying to him in person. Louis XV. when in
need of similar help, sent certain persons to Bernard, whose
answer was, that “those who wanted his assistance might
at least take the trouble to apply themselves.
” He was
accordingly presented to the king, who said many flattering things to him, and ordered the courtiers to pay him
every mark of respect. Bernard was now called the saviour
of the state all the courtiers entertained him in succession he dined with the marshal Noailles, and supped
with the duchess of Tallard, and played and lost what they
pleased. They sneered at his manners, which were citizen-like, and he lent the millions which they demanded.
Bernard, however, was of a benevolent turn the poor of
the military order were particularly the subjects of his
bounty, and, frequently as they might apply, they never
were refused, On his death it was found that he had lent
ten millions, of which he never received a farthing in return. In his speculations he was both bold and successful.
One day he had asked a person of distinction to dine with
him, and had promised to treat him with some excellent
mountain, not knowing at that time that his stock was exhausted. After dinner his servant announced this lamentable deficiency, and Bernard, not a little hurt at the unseasonable discovery, immediately dispatched one of his
clerks to Holland, with instructions to purchase every
drop of mountain in the port of Amsterdam, by which he
afterwards gained an immense sum. Of his family, so
little was known, that he was supposed to be of Jewish
descent, but without any reason. He used to say, that if
they would make him a chevalier, his name would no longer
hurt their delicate feelings, and accordingly, he received
letters of nobility. He then purchased several estates
with titles, and among others, those of the counts of Coubert; and during the last years of his life, he was generally
called the chevalier Bernard. One of his sons, president
of one of the chambers of inquiry in parliament, bore the
name of Rieux another was called the count de Coubert,
and his grandson, Anne-Gabriel-Henry Bernard, assumed
the title of marquis de Boulainvilliers. He married his
daughter to Mole, first president, and thus became grandfather to the duchess de Cosse-Brissac and his family,
by these revolutions, became allied to the great names of
Biron, Duroure, and Boulainvilliers. Bernard was the
friend of the keeper of the seals, Chauvelin, and remained
faithful to him when disgraced. It is said that he was, or
in his old age became superstitious, and fancied his life
connected with that of a black fowl, of which he took great
care, convinced that its death would be the prelude to his
own. He lived, however, to the advanced age of eightyeight, dying in 1739. Another account informs us, that
the greater part of his thirty-three millions was dissipated
within ten years after his death, and that one of his sons,
who was president of the parliament of Paris, died a bankrupt. Such vicissitudes are too common in all ages to
excite much surprize.
ho, on coming to the throne, took him into his service, and sent him, as secretary of legation, with count de Truchses, Prussian ambassador to the court of St. James’s,
, was born at Hamburgh March 31, 1717. Jn a journey which he made to Brunswick, he became acquainted with Frederick II. then prince royal, who, on coming to the throne, took him into his service, and sent him, as secretary of legation, with count de Truchses, Prussian ambassador to the court of St. James’s, but discovering that the baron’s talents were not calculated for diplomatic affairs, h, in 1745, appointed him preceptor to prince Augustus Ferdinand his brother; after that, in 1747, curator of the universities, and in 1748 he created him a baron, with the rank of privy-counsellor. The last years of his life he spent in study and retirement at Treban, in the country of Altenburgh, where he died April 5, 1770. He wrote
tics and architecture at Paris. Not long after, he was appointed governor to Lewis-Henry de Lomenix, count de Brienne, whom he accompanied in his travels from 1652 to
, a celebrated French mathematician and military engineer, was born at Ribemond in Picardy, in 1617. While he was yet but young, he was
chosen regius professor of mathematics and architecture
at Paris. Not long after, he was appointed governor to
Lewis-Henry de Lomenix, count de Brienne, whom he
accompanied in his travels from 1652 to 1655, of which
he published an account. He enjoyed many honourable
employments, both in the navy and army; and was entrusted with the management of several negociations with
foreign princes. He arrived at the dignity of marshal de
camp, and counsellor of state, and had the honour to be
appointed mathematical preceptor to the Dauphin. He
was a member of the royal academy of sciences, director
of the academy of architecture, and lecturer to the royal
college in all which he supported his character with dignity and applause. Blondel was no less versed in the
knowledge of the belles lettres than in the mathematical
sciences, as appears by the comparison he published between Pindar and Horace, 1675, 12mo, and afterwards
reprinted in Rapin’s miscellaneous works. He died at
Paris, the 22d of February, 1686, in the sixty-ninth year
of his age. His chief mathematical works were 1. “Cours
d' Architecture,
” Paris, Resolution des
quatre principaux problemes d' Architecture,
” Paris, Histoire du Calendrier Romain,
” Paris, Cours de Mathematiques,
” Paris, L'Art de jetter des Bombes,
” La Haye, New method of fortifying places,
” and other
works. Blondel had also many ingenious pieces inserted
in the memoirs of the French academy of sciences, particularly in the year 1666.
d Paris with his works: a list of them may be seen in a life of him, published in 1762, 12mo, by the count de Caylus, but some of them no longer exist, particularly his
, a French sculptor, was
the son of a sculptor and architect, and born at Chaumont
in Bassigni in 1698. He was drawn by an irresistible passion for these two arts, but confined himself at length to
the former. After having passed some time at Paris under
the younger Coustou, and obtained the prize at the academy in 1722, he was carried to Rome at the king’s expence. Upon his return from Italy, where his talents had
been greatly improved, he adorned Paris with his works:
a list of them may be seen in a life of him, published in
1762, 12mo, by the count de Caylus, but some of them no
longer exist, particularly his fine equestrian statue of Louis
XV. formerly in the square named after that monarch. In
1744 he obtained a place in the academy; and, two years
after, a professorship. He died July 17, 1762, a loss
to the arts, and much lamented; for he is described as a
man of great talent, disinterested spirit, and of most amiable manners. Music was his object in the hours of recreation, and his talents in this way were very considerable.
Count Caylus, in his “Tableaux tires de l‘Iliade et de
l’Odysse d'Homere,
” mentions Bouchardon, with honour,
among the tew artists who borrowed their subjects from Homer, and relates the following anecdote: “This great artist having lately read Homer in an old and detestable
French translation, came one day to me, his eyes sparkling
with fire, and said, * Since I have read this book, men
seem to be fifteen feet high, and all nature is enlarged in
my sight'.
” This anecdote, however, does not give a very
high idea of the education of a French artist, and a professor of the art.
ount of her character, a tolerable specimen of the vanity of a Frenchwoman, married M. de Flecelles, count de Bregy, lieutenant-general in the army, counsellor of state,
This lady, whose article we have retained from the former edition, principally on account of her character, a tolerable specimen of the vanity of a Frenchwoman, married M. de Flecelles, count de Bregy, lieutenant-general in the army, counsellor of state, envoy extraordinary in Poland, and afterwards embassador in Sweden.
he Aulic council of war. After the death of that prince, the king of Prussia having entered Silesia, count de Brown, with but a small body oi troops, disputed with him
, a celebrated general of the eighteenth century, was the son of Ulysses, baron
de Brown, colonel of a regiment of cuirassiers in the service of the emperors Leopold and Joseph, created in
1716, by the emperor Charles VI. a count of the holy Roman empire, his younger brother George receiving the
like dignity at the same time, who was general of foot,
counsellor of war, and a colonel of a regiment of infantry,
under Charles -VI. They were of an ancient and noble
family in Ireland. The subject of the present memoir
was born at Basle, Oct. 24, 1705-. After having passed
through the lessons of a school at Limerick in Ireland, he
was called to Hungary at ten years of age, by count
George de Brown, his uncle, and was present at the famous siege of Belgrade in 1717; about the close of the
year 1723, he became captain in his uncle’s regiment, and
then lieutenant-colonel in 1725. He went to the island of
Corsica in 1730, with a battalion of his regiment, and contributed greatly to the capture of Callansana, where he
received a wound of some consequence in his thigh. He
was appointed chamberlain to the emperor in 1732, and
colonel in 1734. He distinguished himself in the war of,
Italy, especially in the battles of Parma and Guastalla,
and burnt, in presence of the French army, the bridge
which the marechal de Noailles had thrown across the
Adige. Being appointed general in 1736, he favoured,
the year following, the retreat of the army, by a judicious
manoeuvre, and saved all the baggage at the memorable
day of Banjaluca in Bosnia, Aug. 3, 1737. This signal
piece of service procured him a second regiment of infantry, vacant by the death of count Francis de Wallis. On
his return to Vienna in 1739, the emperor Charles VI.
raised him to the dignity of general-neld-marechal-lieute.^
nanr, and gave him a seat in the Aulic council of war.
After the death of that prince, the king of Prussia having
entered Silesia, count de Brown, with but a small body oi
troops, disputed with him every foot of ground for the
space of two months. He commanded in 1741 the infantry of the right wing of the Austrian army at the battle of
Molvitz; and, though wounded, made a handsome retreat.
He then went into Bavaria, where he commanded the van
of the same army, made himself master of Deckendorf, an4
took much of the enemy’s baggage, and forced the French
to quit the banks of the Danube, which the Austrian army
afterwards passed in perfect safety; in commemoration of
which, a marble pillar was erected on the spot, with the
following inscription: “Theresise Austriacae Augustse Duce
Exercitus Carolo Alexandro Lotharingico, septemdecirn
superatis hostilibus VilHs, captoque Deckendorfio, renitentibus undis, resistentibus Gallis, Duce Exercitus Ludovico Borbonio Contio, transivit hie Danubium Ulysses
Maximilianus, S. R. I. Comes de Brown, Locumtenens
Campi Marashallusj Die 5 Junii, A. D. 1743.
” The queen
of Hungary sent him the s^me year to Worms, in quality
of her plenipotentiary to the king of Great Britain: where
he put the finishing Hand to the/ treaty of alliance between the courts of Vienna, London, and Turin, and she
declared him her actual privy counsellor at her coronation
qf Bohemia. The count de Brown, in 1744, followed
prince Lobkovitz jnto Italy, took the city of Veletri the
4th of August, notwithstanding the great superiority of the
enemy in numbers, penetrated into their camp, defeated
several regiments, and took a great many prisoners. Being
recalled to Bavaria, he performed several military exploits,
and returned to Italy in 1746. He drove the Spaniards
out of the Milanese; and, having joined the army of the
prince de Lichtenstein, he commanded the left wing of
the Austrian troops at the battle of Placentia, the 15th of
June 1746; and routed the right wing of the enemy’s
army, commanded by the marechal de Maillebois. After
this famous battle, the gaining of which was due to him, he
commanded in chief the army ordered against the Genoese,
made himself master of the pass of la Bochetta, though
defended by 4000 men, and took possession of the city of
Genoa. Count Brown then went to join the troops of the
king of Sardinia, and, in conjunction with him, took Montalbano and the territory of Nice. He passed the Var the
30th of November, in opposition to the French troops,
entered Provence, and captured the isles of Saint-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat. He had nearly made himself
master of all Provence, when the revolution at Genoa and
the army of the marechal de Belleisle obliged him to make
that fine retreat which acquired him the admiration of all
good judges of. military tactics. He employed the rest of
the year 1747 in defending the states of the house of
Austria in Italy. The empress-queen of Hungary, in reward of his signal campaigns in Italy, made him governor
of Transylvania in 1749. In 1752 he had the government
of the city of Prague, with the general command of the
troops of that kingdom; and the king of Poland, elector
of Saxony, honoured him in 1755 with the order of the
white eagle. The king of Prussia having invaded Saxony
in 1756, and attacked Bohemia, count Brown marched
against him; he repulsed that prince at the battle of Lobositz the 1st of October, although he had but 26,800
men, and the king of Prussia was at the head of at least
40,000. Within a week after this engagement, he undertook that celebrated march into Saxony, for delivering the
Saxon troops shut up between Pirna and Konigstein:
an action worthy of the greatest general whether ancient or
modern. He afterwards obliged the Prussians to retreat
from Bohemia; for which service he obtained the collar
of the golden fleece, with which he was honoured by
the empress March 6, 1757. Shortly after this count
Brown went into Bohemia, where he raised troops with the
utmost expedition, in order to make head against the king
of Prussia, who had entered it afresh at the head of his
whole army. On May 6th was fought the famous battle of
Potshernitz, or of Prague, when count Brown was dangerously wounded. Obliged to retire to Prague, he there
died of his wounds, the 26th of June 1757, at the age of
52. The count was not only a great general, he was an
equally able negotiator, and well skilled in politics. He
married, Aug. 15, 1726, Maria Philippina countess of Mar
tinitz, of an illustrious and ancient family in Bohemia, by
whom he had two sons. The life of this excellent commander was published in two separate volumes, one in
German, the other in French, printed at Prague in 1757.
rectness of the narration and the purity of the Latinity, and have been several times reprinted. The count de Buonamici also composed a treatise “De scientia militari,”
, an Italian historian, was
born at Lucca in 1710, of a reputable family, and first embraced the ecclesiastical state. His studies being finished,
he went to Rome, and during a stay of some years in that
city, attracted the notice of the cardinal de Polignac, who
was desirous of gaining his attachment, but whom he refused, to accompany into France. Not meeting iif the
church with the advantages he had promised himself, he
gave it up, in order to bear arms in the service of the king
of the Two Sicilies, which, however, did not prevent his
devoting himself to the study of the belles-lettres. He
wrote in Latin the history of the war of Velletri in 1745,
between the Austrians and Neapolitans, in which he was
employed, under the title of “De rebus ad Velitras gestis
commentarius,
” Debello Italico commentarii,
” 4to,
in three books, for which he got the title of count to himself and his descendants. These two histories are much
esteemed for the correctness of the narration and the purity
of the Latinity, and have been several times reprinted.
The count de Buonamici also composed a treatise “De
scientia militari,
” but which has not hitherto been published. He died in 1761, at Lucca, the place of his nativity,
whither he was come for the benefit of his health. The
name of Castruccio being very famous in the history of
Lucca, he adopted it on his going into the Neapolitan service, instead of his baptismal name, which was FrancisJoseph-Mary. His work on the war in Italy was translated into English, and published in 1753 at London by
A. Wishart, M. A. under the title of “Commentaries of
the late war in Italy,
” 8vo.
e title of Du Moulin’s work), and for strengthening the fire of purgatory.” The intimacy between the count de Soissons and the sister of Henry IV. proceeded such lengths,
, was born
in 1525 at Montrichard in Touraine, of a poor family, and
was at first a protestant divine, attached to Catherine of
Bourbon, sister of Henry IV. but was deposed in a synod
on a charge of practising the arts of magic, and for having
written a book in favour of public stews. This sentence
accelerated his abjuration, which he delivered at Paris in
1595, and died in 1610, at the age of eighty-five, doctor
of Sorbonne, and professor of Hebrew in the college royal.
Caiet was of a kind and officious disposition, and was so
unfortunate as to have for his enemies all whom he had
obliged. His slovenly dress, his manner of life, and his
absurd attempts to discover the philosopher’s stone, drew
upon him no less contempt than his learning brought him
respect. Notwithstanding his humble and shabby exterior,
Henry IV. continued to admit him to court, not without
wishing, however, to avoid it, which he shewed by presenting him with a small estate in the country, a philosophical retreat sufficient to satisfy the ambition of a scholar.
The Calvinists, whom he had deserted, endeavoured to
expose his principles and conduct, and as after his abjuration he had had a conference with Du Moulin, this was a
fresh reason for their animosity. Caiet did not remain
silent, but published, in 1603, against Du Moulin, the
book emphatically entitled “The fiery Furnace, and the
reverberatory Furnace, for evaporating the pretended waters of Silofim (the title of Du Moulin’s work), and for
strengthening the fire of purgatory.
” The intimacy between the count de Soissons and the sister of Henry IV.
proceeded such lengths, that they ordered Caiet to marry
them immediately. On his refusal to do it, the prince
threatened to kill him. “Kill me then,
” replied Caiet;
“I had much rather die by the hand of a prince than by
that of the hangman.
”
and patron of the arts, was horn at Paris Oct. 31, 1692. He was the eldest of the two sons of John, count de Caylus, lieutenant-general of the armies of the king of France,
, a very celebrated
amateur and patron of the arts, was horn at Paris Oct. 31,
1692. He was the eldest of the two sons of John, count
de Caylus, lieutenant-general of the armies of the king of
France, and of the marchioness de Villette. His ancestors
were particularly distinguished in the twelfth century; and
his mother was a descendant of the celebrated D'Aubigne,
who was the friend and historian of Henry IV. His parents
were particularly attentive to the education of their son.
The father instructed him in the profession of arms, and
in athletic“exercises, and his mother watched over and
fostered the virtues of his mind, a delicate task, which she
discharged with singular success. The countess was the
niece of madame de Maintenon, and was remarkable for
the solidity of her understanding, and the charms of her
wit. She was the author of a pleasant miscellany, entitled
” Mes Souvenirs," a collection of anecdotes of the court
of Louis XIV. which her son used to relate to her to
amuse her during her illness. She was ever careful to inspire her son with the love of truth, justice, and generosity, and with the nicest sentiments of honour. The amiable qualities and talents of the mother appeared in the
son, but they appeared with a bold and masculine air. In
his natural temper he was gay and sprightly, had a taste
for pleasure, a strong passion for independence, and an
invincible aversion to the servile etiquette and constrained
manners of a court.
Count de Caylus was engaged at the same time in another enterprize,
Count de Caylus was engaged at the same time in another enterprize, still more honourable for the Roman grandeur, and more interesting to the French nation. In, the last age, Des Godetz, under the auspices of Colbert, published the Antiquities of Rome. The work was admired by all Europe, and gave birth to that indefatigable emulation which carried able and ingenious travellers to Spalatra, Balbec, and even to the burning sands of Palmyra, in order to visit the famous ruins of so many magnificent buildings, and to present them to our view. It is this that has made us spectators of the monuments of Athens, that mother of learning, of arts, and sciences; where, in spite of the injuries of time and barbarism, so many illustrious sculptors and architects still live in the ruins of their edifices, in like manner as so many incomparable authors still breathe in the valuable fragments of their writings. The same Colbert had framed the design of engraving the Roman antiquities that are still to be seen in the southern provinces c c France. By his orders, Mignard, the architect, had made drawings of them, which count de Caylus had the good fortune to recover. He resolved to finish the work projected by Colbert, and to dedicate it to that great minister; and so much had he this glorious enterprize at heart, that he was employed in it during his last illness, and recommended it warmly to M. Mariette, by whom it was in part executed.
The confidence which all Europe placed in the knowledge and taste of count de Caylus, has contributed to decorate and embellish it. The
The confidence which all Europe placed in the knowledge and taste of count de Caylus, has contributed to decorate and embellish it. The powers of the north more than once consulted him, and referred the choice of artists to him for the execution of great undertakings. It is to his protection that Bouchardon, the sculptor, so highly admired in France, was indebted for the noblest opportunities of displaying his talents; and to him Paris was indebted for those master-pieces of art which were once two of its noblest ornaments, the equestrian statue of Louis XV. and the fountain in the Rue de Crenelle.
The evening before his departure from Paris, being at supper with count de Merci, the Imperial ambassador, several of his friends represented
The evening before his departure from Paris, being at
supper with count de Merci, the Imperial ambassador,
several of his friends represented to him, that he ought not
to undertake such a voyage, and offered to lay a considerable wager that he would never return. “Were I certain,
”
replied the abbé“,
” that I should die the next morning
after I had made my observation, I would not hesitate
a moment, nor be in the least deterred from embarking."
An heroic sentiment, which paints in a few words the character of this learned man.
ng to Moreri, but we find no mention of this in the Scotch peerage. After his death she espoused the count de la Suze, of an illustrious house in Champaigne. But this
, countess de la Suze, a French
poetess, whose works have been printed with those of Pellison and others in 1695, and 1725 in 2 volumes 12mo, was
the daughter of Gaspar de Coligni, the third of that name,
marshal of France, and colonel-general of infantry. She
was very early married, in 1643, when she could not be
more than seventeen, to Thomas Hamilton, earl of Haddington, according to Moreri, but we find no mention of
this in the Scotch peerage. After his death she espoused
the count de la Suze, of an illustrious house in Champaigne.
But this second match proved unfortunate, owing to the
furious jealousy of the count her husband, whose severities
towards her made her abjure protestantism, and profess the
catholic faith, which occasioned queen Christina of Sweden
to say, “that she had changed her religion, that she might not
see her husband, neither in this world nor the next.
” Their
antipathy became so great that the countess at last disannulled the marriage; and to induce the count to accede
to it, she offered 25,000 crowns, which he accepted. She
then gave herself up to the study of poetry, and became
much admired by the geniuses of her time, who made her
the subject of their eulogiums. Her fort lay in the elegiac strain, and those works of hers which have come down
to us have at least a delicate turn of sentiment. Her other
poems are songs, madrigals, and odes. The wits of her
time gave her the majesty of Juno with Minerva’s wit and
Venus’s beauty in some verses, attributed to Bouhours:
but her character in other respects appears not to have
been of the most correct kind. She died at Paris, March
10, 1673.
ured D‘Eon to be appointed minister-pleriiputeutiary in his room. In October following, however, the count de Guerchy having arrived here as ambassador from the court
In 1755 he was employed under the chevalier Douglas, in transacting a negociation of the most delicate and important nature at the court of Petersburg!), by which, after many years suspension of all intercourse, a reconciliation was effected between the courts of France and Russia. After some years residence at Petersburg!], D‘Eon joined his regiment, then serving under marshal Broglio on the Rhine, and during the campaign of 1762, acted as aid-ducamp to that celebrated olKcer. When the duke de Nivernois came over to England, as ambassador, to negociate the peace of 1763, D’Eon appeared as his secretary; and so far procured the sanction of the government of England, that he was requested to carry over the ratiticat.on of the treaty between the British court and that of Versailles, in consequence of which the French king invested him with the order of St. Louis. He had also behaved, in the character of secretary, so much to the satisfaction of the duke, that that nobleman, upon his departure for France, in May 1763, procured D‘Eon to be appointed minister-pleriiputeutiary in his room. In October following, however, the count de Guerchy having arrived here as ambassador from the court of Versailles, the chevalier received orders, or rather was requested, to act as secretary or assistant to the new ambassador. This, we are told, mortified him to such a degree, that, asserting that the letter of recall, which accompanied it, was a forgery, he refused to deliver it; and by this step drew on himself the censure of his court. On this, either with a view of exculpating himself, or from a motive of revenge, he published a succinct account of all the negociations in which he had been engaged, exposed some secrets of the French court, and rather than spare. his enemies, revealed some things greatly to the prejudice of his best friends. Among other persons very freely treated in this publication was the count de Guerchy, for which D’Eon was prosecuted and convicted in the court of King’s Bench, in July 1764. It was but natural that this conduct should draw down the resentment of the court of France, and the chevalier either feared or affected to fear the greatest danger to his person. Reports were spread, very probahly by himself, that persons were sent over here to apprehend him secretly, and carry him to France. On this occasion he wrote four letters, complaining of these designs, as known to him by undoubted authority. The one he sent to lord chief justice Mansfield, the second to the earl of Bute, the third to earl Temple, and the fourth to Mr Pitt. Of these personages he requested to know, whether, as he had contracted no debt, and behaved himself in all things as a dutiful subject, he might not kill the first man who should attempt to arrest him, &c. In March 1764 he took a wiser step to provide for his safety, if there had been any cause for his fears, by indicting the count de Guerchy for a conspiracy against his life, but this came to nothing; and the chevalier, not having surrendered himself to the court of King’s-bench to receive judgment for the libel on the count de Guerchy, was, in June 1765, declared outlawed. The chevalier, however, still continued in England until the death of Louis XV.
ccording to the Diet. Historique are: l. “JMemoires,” 8vo and 4to, relative to his disputes with the count de Guerchy. 2. “Histoire des Papes.” 3. “Histoire politique.de
In 1785 he returned to England, where he continued to
reside till his death. He was deprived of his pension in
consequence of the French revolution, although in June
1792, he presented a petition to the national assembly (as madame D‘Eon) desiring to be employed in their service as a
soldier, to have his seniority in the army, and permission to
raise a legion of volunteers for the service of his country.
This petition was probably disregarded, as he remained in
England, where his circumstances became embarrassed. For
a few years he gained a subsistence by the sale of part of
his effects, and by a public exhibition of his skill in fencing,
which was the greater object of curiosity, from the general
belief that it was a female performance. When incapable of
these exertions by years and infirmities, ho was relieved by
occasional contributions. For the two last years, he scarcely
ever quitted his bed, his health gradually declined, and at
length an extreme state of debility ensued, which terminated
in his death, May 21, 1810. Immediately after, the corpse
being examined by professional gentlemen and others, was
discovered to be that of a man, yet it is said that there
were peculiarities in his person which rendered the doubts
that had so long subsisted respecting his sex the less extraordinary, and appeared to have given facility to his occasional assumption of the female character before his final
adoption of it. He had assumed the female character at
Petersburg!! for the purposes of political intrigue about the
year 1750, when only twenty-two years of age, and had
occasionally adopted it during his first residence in England; but it may be doubted whether all this will be sufficient to explain the mysteries of the chevalier’s conduct,
or the more strange conduct of the court of France. The
chevalier D’Eon, who was distinguished as a scholar, and
was well acquainted with the ancient and most of the modern
languages, had a very valuable library, part of which he
sold for the roller' of his necessities, and part has been sold
since his death. His works according to the Diet. Historique are: l. “JMemoires,
” 8vo and 4to, relative to his
disputes with the count de Guerchy. 2. “Histoire des
Papes.
” 3. “Histoire politique.de la Pologne.
” 4. “Recherches sur les royaumesde Naples etdeSicile.
” 5. “Recherches sur le Commerce et la Navigation.
” 6. “Pensees
sur le Celibat, et les maux qu'il cause a la France,
”
against the celibacy of the French clergy. 7. “Memoires
sur la Rus-sie ct son Commerce avcc les Anglois.
”
8. “Histoire d'Eudoxie Feeclerona.
” 9. “Observations
sur le royaimie d'Angleterre, son government, ses grands
officiers,
” &c. 10. “Details sur l‘Ecosse, sur les possessions de l’Angleterre en Amerique.
” 11. “Sur la regie
de bles en France, les mendians, les domains des rois,
”
c. 12. “Details sur toutes les Parties des Finances de
France.
” 13. “Situation de la France dans Plnde avant
la paix de 1763.
” 14. “Loisirs du Chevalier D'Eon,
”
In religion, Mons. D‘Eon was a sincere catholic,
but divested of all bigotry: few were so well acquainted
with the biblical writings, or devoted more time to the
study of religious subjects. The shades in his character
were, the most inflexible tenacity of disposition, and a
great degree of pride and self-opinion; a general distrust
and suspicion of others; and a violence of temper which
could brook no opposition. To these ’failings may be
traced the principal misfortunes of his life; a life in which
there was much labour and suffering, mixed with very little repose.
” The French editor of his life, in noticing the
poverty in which he died, adds, that it does him the more honour as he had refused the offers of the English government
to turn their manifestoes against his country into French.
entertainment, 1753, 8vo; “A Voyage to the Moon,” from the French of Bergerac, 1753; “Memoirs of the Count de Beauval,” from the French of the marquis d'Argens,“1754,
, a native of Ireland, was born in
1724. Being intended for trade, he was some time placed
with a linen-draper in Dublin; but disliking his business,
he quitted it and his country about 1751, and commenced
author in London. Soon after he arrived at the metropolis, he indulged an inclination which he had imbibed
for the stage, and appeared in the character of Gloucester
in “Jane Shore,
” but with so little success, that he never
repeated the experiment. After this attempt he subsisted
chiefly by his writings; but being of an expensive disposition, running into the follies and excesses of gallantry
and gaming, he lived almost all his time the slave of dependence, or the sport of chance. His acquaintance with
people of fashion, on beau Nash’s death, procured him at
length a more permanent subsistence. He was chosen to
succeed that gentleman in his offices of master of the ceremonies at Bath and Tunbridge. By the profits of these he
might have been enabled to place himself with ceconomy
in a less precarious state; but his want of conduct continued after he was in the possession of a considerable income, by which means he was at the time of his death,
March 7, 1769, as necessitous as he had been at any period
of his life. He translated one piece from the French of
the king of Prussia, called “Sylla,
” a dramatic entertainment, A Voyage to the Moon,
” from the
French of Bergerac, Memoirs of the Count de
Beauval,
” from the French of the marquis d'Argens,“1754,
12mo;
” The third Satire of Juvenal translated intoJEnglish VC.rse,“1755, 4to and he edited an edition of Dryclen’s poetical works, with a life and notes, 1762, 4 vols.
^vo, a beautifully printed work, which had very little success. In 1759 he published a
” View of the Stage,“under
the na^e of Wilkes in 1762,
” The Battle of Lora,“a
poem in 1763,
” A Collection of Voyages,“2 vols. 12mo,
and some other compilations, with and without his name,
which, indeed, in ibe literary world, was of little consequence. The most amffsing of his works, was his
” Letters
written from Liverpool, CilSSter, &c." 2 vols. 12mo. Derrick lived rather to amuse than instruct the public, and his
vanity and absurdities were for many years the standing
topics of the newspaper wits. A few, not unfavourable,
anecdotes of Derrick are given in Boswell’s Life of Johnson.
ree worst months in the year at Marseilles. The house which he called his favourite, was that of the count de Clermont de Lodeve, in Languedoc; where, he used to say,
, a French
nobleman, born at Paris in 1602, was, like the English
lord Rochester, a great wit, a great libertine, and a great
penitent. He made a vast progress in his studies under
the Jesuits, who, perceiving his genius, endeavoured to
get him into their society; but his family would not listen
to their proposal, and he soon himself began to treat them
with ridicule. While very young, his father procured him
the place of a counsellor in the parliament of Paris, where
his wit was aumired but he would never report a cause;
for he used to say that it was a sordid occupation, and unworthy of a man of parts, to read wrangling papers with
attention, and to endeavour to understand them. It is
said, indeed, that on one occasion, when his clients were
urgent for a decision, he sent for both parties, burnt the
papers before them, and paid down the sum that was the
cause of the dispute, to the amount of four or five hundred
livres. One account says, that he left this place from the
following cause. Cardinal Richelieu falling in love with
the celebrated beauty Marion de Lorme, whose affections
were entirely placed on our Des Barreaux, proposed to
him by a third hand, that if he would resign his mistress,
he should have whatever he should desire. Des Barreaux
answered the proposal in a jesting way, feigning to believe
the cardinal incapable of so much weakness. This enraged
the minister so highly, that he persecuted Des Barreaux
as long as he lived, and forced him not only to quit his
place, but even to leave the kingdom. But another account says that his resignation of the bar was voluntary,
and with a view to become a man of pleasure, which appears to be more probable. During his career, however,
he made a great number of Latin and French verses, and.
some pleasing songs; but never pursued any thing seriously, except good cheer and diversions, and being very
entertaining in company, he was in high request with men
of wit and taste. He had his particular friends in the several provinces of France, whom he frequently visited,
and it was his practice to shift his quarters, according to
the seasons of the year. In winter, he went to seek the
sun on the coasts of Provence; and passed the three worst
months in the year at Marseilles. The house which he
called his favourite, was that of the count de Clermont de
Lodeve, in Languedoc; where, he used to say, good cheer
and liberty were on their throne. Sometimes he went to
Balzac, on the banks of the Charante but his chief residence was at Chenailles on the Loire. His general view
in these ramblings was to search out the best fruits and the
best wines in the climates: but sometimes, to do him justice,
his object was more intellectual, as, when he went into
Holland, on purpose to see Des Cartes, and to improve hr
the instructions of that great genius.
His friends do not deny that he was a great libertine;
but pretend, that fame, according to custom, had said
more of him than is true, and that, in the latter part of his
life, he was convinced of the reality of religion. They
say, that he did not disapprove the truths of Christianity,
and wished to be fully convinced of them; but he thought
nothing was so dim'cult to a man of wit as to be a true believer. He was born a catholic, but paid little attention
either to the worship or doctrines of the Romish religion;
and he used to say, that if the Scriptures are to be the
rule of our actions and of our belief, there was no better
religion than the protestant. Four or five years before his
death, we are told that he entirely forsook his vicious
courses, paid his debts, and, having never been married,
gave up the remainder of his estate to his sisters; reserving
to himself for life an annuity of 4000 livres. He then retired to Chalon on the Soane, which he said was the best
and purest air in France; hired a small house, and was
visited by the better sort of people, particularly by the
bishop, who afterwards spoke well of him. He died in
that city, May 9. 1673, having made the famous devout
sonnet two or three years before his death, which begins,
“Grand Dieu, tes jugemens,
” &c. But Voltaire has endeavoured to deprive him of the merit of this, by ascribing
it to the abbe de Levau. It is, however, the only one of
Des Barreaux’s poems, which in general were in the style
of Sarazin and Chapelle, that has obtained approbation,
Dreux du Radier, in his “Recreations historiques,
” asserts
that it is an imitation of a sonnet by Desportes, who published it in 1G03; and if so, the imitation must be allowed
greatly to surpass the original.
urdeaux. The first notice of him occurs about 1763, when he had a concern in the quarrel between the count de Guerchy, ambassador extraordinary from the court of France,
, a French
adventurer, of whose private life little is known, and
whose public history is not of the most reputable kind, requires, however, some notice, as the author of various
publications, and an agent in some political transactions
which once were deemed of importance. He styled himself
advocate in the parliament of Bourdeaux. The first notice
of him occurs about 1763, when he had a concern in the
quarrel between the count de Guerchy, ambassador extraordinary from the court of France, and the chevalier
D‘Eon, (see D’EoN). About this time D‘Eon published a
letter to the count de Guerchy, by which we learn that
De Vergy solicited his (D’Eon’s) acquaintance, which he
declined unless he* brought letters of recommendation,
and that De Vergy, piqued at the refusal, boasted of being
perfectly well known to the count de Guerchy, which
proved to be a falsehood. This produced a quarrel between D‘Eon and De Vergy, and a pamphlet in answer
to D’Eon’s letter, and another answer under the title of
“Centre Note.
” After the more celebrated quarrel between de Guerchy and D‘Eon, De Vergy published a
parcel of letters from himself to the due de Cboiseul, in
which he positively asserts that the count de Guerchy prevailed with him to come over to England to assassinate
D’Eon. He even went farther, and before the grand
jury of Middlesex, made oath to the same effect. Upon
this deposition, the grand jury found a bill of intended
murder against the count de Guerchy; which bill, however, never came to the petty jury. The king granted
a noli prosequi in favour of De Guerchy, and the attorney-general was ordered to prosecute De Vergy, with
the result of which order we are unacquainted; but it
is certain that De Vergy, in his last will, confesses his
concern in a plot against D'Eon, and intimates that he
withdrew his assistance upon finding that it was intended to affect the chevalier’s life. After the above
transaction, we find him in 1767, publishing “Lettre
centre la Raison,
” or, “A Letter against Reason, addressed to the chevalier D'Eon,
” in which he repeats some
of the hacknied doctrines of the French philosophical
school, and professes himself a free-thinker. This was
followed by a succession of novels, entitled “The Mistakes
of the Heart;
” “The Lovers
” “Nature
” “Henrietta;
” “The Scotchman;
” and “The Palinode,
” written
in remarkably good English, and with much knowledge of
human nature; but scarcely one of them is free from the
grossest indelicacies. He wrote also, in 1770, “A Defence of the duke of Cumberland,
” a wretched catchpenny.
De Vergy died Oct. 1, 1774, aged only forty-two, and
remained unburied until March, his executor waiting for
directions from his family. He had desired in his will that
his relations would remove his body to Bourdeaux, but it
was at last interred in St. Pancras church-yard.
sick; an attempt was made to assassinate the two brothers on the same day, in different places; the count de Monthas, who had married their sister, was ordered to be
When the famous battle in 1666 was fought between the English and Dutch for three days, he was sent by the States to take a full account of the affair; and he drew up one from the best authorities he could obtain, which is justly esteemed a master-piece in its kind, and a proof of his being as capable of recording great actions as of achieving them. In 1667, finding a favourable conjuncture for executing the great design of the warm republicans, he established the perpetual edict, by which the office of stacltholder was for ever abolished, and the liberty of Holland, as it was supposed, fixed on an eternal basis. In 1672, when the prince of Orange was elected captain and admiral-general, he abjured the stadtholdership. A tumult happened at Dort, and the people declared they would have the prince for stadtholder; to which place he came in person on their invitation, and accepted the office. Most of the other towns and provinces followed the example and seditions arose from these pretences, that the De Witts plundered the state, and were enemies to the house of Orange. The pensionary begged his dismission from the post; which was granted, wiih thanks for his faithful services. He did not affect business, when he saw it was no longer in his power to benefit the public; and he deplored in secret the misfortunes of his country, which, from the highest prosperity, fell, as it were, all at once to the very brink of ruin. The invasion of the French, their rapid progress, their own intestine divisions, spread every where terror and confusion; and the prince of Orange’s party heightened these confusions, in order to ruin the De Witts. The mob were encouraged to pull down a house, in which the pensionary was supposed to lie sick; an attempt was made to assassinate the two brothers on the same day, in different places; the count de Monthas, who had married their sister, was ordered to be arrested in his camp as a traitor, though he had behaved with the greatest bravery. Cornelius De Witt, on the accusation of Ticklaer, a barber, of a design of poisoning the prince, was imprisoned and condemned to exile, though his judges could not declare him guilty. The same ignominious wretch persuaded the people, that he would be rescued out of prison; upon which they instantly armed, and surrounded the place, where it unfortunately happened the pensionary was with his brother. They broke open the doors, insisted on their walking down, and barbarously murdered them. They carried their dead bodies to the gallows, where they hung the pensionary a foot higher than his brother; afterwards mangling their bodies, cut their cloaths in a thousand pieces, and sent them about the country, as trophies of conquest; and some of them, it is said, cut out large pieces of their flesh, which they broiled and ate.
touchant l'etat et les progres de Jansenistne en Hollande,” written in 1697, when he accompanied the count de Creci to the congress at Ryswick. He was also the author
, a French Jesuit, a native of Vernon,
who died at Orleans Sept. 21, 1716, filled several high
offices belonging to his order, and was said to have been
the author of the famous problem levelled at the cardinal
de Noailles, “Whom are we to believe? M. de Noailles,
archbishop of Paris, condemning the exposition of faith,
or M. de Noailles, bishop of Chalons, approving the moral
reflections?
” alluding to an apparent change in Noailles*
opinions of the disputes between the Jansenists and Jesuits.
Doucin was a member of the club or cabal which the Jansenists called the Norman cabal, and which was composed
of the Jesuits Tellier, Lallemand, and Daniel; and his zeal
and activity were of great service to them. During the
dispute on the famous bull Unigenitus, he was sent to
Rome, and was a powerful advocate for that measure. He
wrote a very curious piece of ecclesiastical history, entitled
“Histoire de Nestorianisme,
” Paris, Histoire de I'Origenisme,
” 4to, and “Memorial
abrege touchant l'etat et les progres de Jansenistne en
Hollande,
” written in 1697, when he accompanied the
count de Creci to the congress at Ryswick. He was also
the author of many pamphlets of the controversial kind,
strongly imbued with the spirit of party.
re he made very distinguished progress in the belles lettres and history, he became secretary to the count de Flemming in Poland; and there became acquainted with the
, a German
historian and antiquary, was born at Duingen in the duchy
of Brunswick, Sept. 7, 1674. Alter studying for some
time at Brunswick and Helmstadt, where he made very
distinguished progress in the belles lettres and history, he
became secretary to the count de Flemming in Poland;
and there became acquainted with the celebrated Leibnitz,
by whose interest he was appointed professor of history at
Helmstadt. After Leibnitz’s death, he was appointed professor at Hanover, where he published some of his works.
Although this place was lucrative, he here contracted debts,
and his creditors having laid hold of a part of his salary to
liquidate some of these, he privately quitted Hanover in
1723, where he left his family, and the following year
embraced the religion of popery at Cologne. He then
passed some time in the monastery of Corvey in Westphalia; and the Jesuits being very proud of their convert,
sent him advantageous offers to settle at Vienna, Passau,
or Wurtzbourg. He chose the latter, and was appointed
the bishop’s counsel, historiographer, and keeper of the
archives and library, and the emperor afterwards granted
him letters of nobility. Pope Innocent XIII. seems also
to have been delighted with his conversion, although his
embarrassed circumstances appear to have been the chief
cause of it. He died in the month of February 1730; and
whatever may be thought of his religious principles, no
doubt can be entertained of his extensive learning and
knowledge of history. He wrote, 1. “Historia studii etymologici linguae Germanicas,
” Hanover, De usu et pr&stantia studii etymologici linguae Gerjnanicse.
” 3. “Corpus historicum medii aevi,
” Leipsic,
Origines Habsburgo-Austriacae,
” Leipsic, Leges Francorum et Hipuariorum,
” &c. ibid. Historia genealogica principumSaxonite superioris, necnon origines Aulialtiiue et Sabaudicae,
” ibid.
Caihechesis theotisca monachi Weissenburgensis, interpretatione illustrate.
” 8. “Leibnitzii collectanea etymologica.
” 9. “Brevis ad historian! Germanise introductio.
” 10. “Programma de antiquissimo
Helmstadiistatu,
” Helmstadt, De diplomate
Caroh magui pro scholis Osnaburgensibus Grsecis et Latinis.
” 12. “Animadversiones historical et criticae in
Joannis Frederic! Schannati dicecesim et hierarchiam Fuldeusem.
” 13. “Annales Franciae orientalis et episcopatus
Wurceburgensis,
” 2 vols. 1731. 14. “De origine Germanorum,
” Gottingen,
shments procured him the esteem of the mareschals d'Etrées and Grammont, of viscount Turenne, of the count de Moissens, afterwards mareschal de Albret, of count Palluau,
M. de St. Evremond distinguished himself in the army
by his politeness and wit, as well as by his bravery; and
his accomplishments procured him the esteem of the
mareschals d'Etrées and Grammont, of viscount Turenne,
of the count de Moissens, afterwards mareschal de Albret,
of count Palluau, afterwards marescUal de Clerembaut, and
of the marquis de Crequi, who also became a mareschal of
France. He had a share in the confidence of these distinguished noblemen, and they always testified their friendship towards him. In 1640, M. de St. Evremond was at
the siege of Arras; and, in the ensuing year, he obtained
a post in the horse, which gave him fresh opportunities of
signalizing himself. Soon after the duke of Enguien, afterwards prince of Condé, became so much pleased with his
conversation, that he made him lieutenant of his guards,
that he might have him constantly near him. He often
read with him and sometimes communicated to him his
most secret projects, and entrusted him with affairs of the
greatest moment. After the campaign of Rocroy, in 1643,
M. de St. Evremond wrote a kind of satire against the
French academy, which was published in 1650, and
entitled, “The Comedy of the Academicians for reforming
the French tongue .
”
cquaintance; and often indulged himself in laughing at their foibles in private, in company with the count de Moissens and M. de St. Evremond. But the prince of Conde,
In 1644 he made the campaign of Fribourg; and the following year he received a dangerous wound at the battle of Notlingen. Being ordered to head a squadron, and to post himself below an eminence which was possessed by the enemy, he was there exposed, for three hours together, to all the fire of their small shot, and a battery of four field-pieces; so that he lost there most of his men, and was himself wounded in the left knee. His wound was so dangerous, that for six weeks he was supposed to be past recovery; but, by the skill of his surgeons, and the excellency of his constitution, his cure was at length effected. Thirty years after, however, his wound opened afresh in, London; but, being properly treated, he felt no inconvenience from it, excepting that his left leg was somewhat weaker than the other. After the taking of Fumes, in 1646, the duke of Enguien appointed M. de St. Evremond to carry the news of it to court; and having, at the same time, opened to him his design of besieging Dunkirk, charged him to propose it to cardinal Mazarin, and to settle with him every thing which was necessary for the execution of that undertaking. M. de St. Evremond managed this business with so much dexterity, that he prevailed on the prime minister to agree to every thing which was required by the duke of Enguien. But, in 1648, he lost the post which he had near that nobleman, now, by the death of his father, become prince of Conde. This prince took great delight in discovering what was ridiculous in the characters of his acquaintance; and often indulged himself in laughing at their foibles in private, in company with the count de Moissens and M. de St. Evremond. But the prince of Conde, who took great pleasure in ridiculing others, was not fond of being ridiculed himself. He was informed, that St. Evremond and the count had found out, that there was somewhat ridiculous even in him; that his extreme solicitude to discover the foibles of others was in itself a species of the ridiculous; and that they sometimes amused themselves with laughing at his highness. This excited in him so much resentment, that he took from M. de St. Evremond the lieutenancy of his guards, and would have no farther correspondence with the count de Moissens. It is, however, supposed, that a reconciliation would have been effected, if they had not been separated by the civil war, which about this time took place in France. When the prince of Conde" returned into France, after the Pyre nean treaty, M. de St. Evremond went to wait upon him, and was very favourably received. The prince offered him his protection; and afterwards, on several occasions, gave him assurances of his affection and esteem.
accepting a considerable employment, of the business of which he knew nothing. But, having promised count de Harcourt to take no employment, he kept his word, not only
In 1649 M. de St. Evremond went into Normandy, to
visit his relations. About this time the parliament of Paris
had declared against cardinal Mazarin; and the duke of
Beaufort, the prince of Conti, and the duke of Longueville, following their example, the latter retired to his
government of Normandy, where he assembled the nobility,
and very earnestly endeavoured to prevail on St. Evremond
to engage in his party. With this view he was offered the
command of the artillery; but this office he declined; and
has given a facetious account of his refusal in a satirical
piece written by him about this time, entitled, “The duke
of Longueville’s Retreat to his Government of Normandy.
”
He says, “They had a mind to bestow the command of
the ordnance on St. Evremond; and, to speak the truth,
considering his affection for St Germain’s (where the king then was), he would have been glad to have served the
court, by accepting a considerable employment, of the
business of which he knew nothing. But, having promised
count de Harcourt to take no employment, he kept his
word, not only from a principle of honour, but that he
might not be like the Normans, most of whom had broken
their promise. From these considerations, he was induced
generously to refuse the money that was offered to him,
but which would never have been paid him.
”
was agreed upon between France and Spain in 1659. The following year, he came over into England with count de Soissons, who was sent on an embassy to congratulate Charles
In 1654, M. de St. Evremond served in Flanders; and
about three years after fought a duel with the marquis de
Fore. He continued in the service in Flanders till the suspension of arms, which was agreed upon between France
and Spain in 1659. The following year, he came over into
England with count de Soissons, who was sent on an embassy to congratulate Charles II. on the restoration; and,
when cardinal Mazarin set out from Paris with a great retinue, in order to negociate a treaty with the first minister
of the king of Spain, St. Evremond was one of those who
accompanied him. He afterwards sent a letter concerning
the conferences to the marquis de Crequi, in which he informed him, that the cardinal had sacrificed the honour
and interests of France to his own private views. In one
part of this letter he said, “It is the cardinal’s maxim,
that a minister does not so much belong to the state as the
state to the minister; and, for this reason, if God grant
bim but a few years, he will get all the estates in the kingdom into his own hands.
” This letter of St. Evremond,
concerning the Pyreneau treaty, became the occasion of
his banishment from France. After the death of the cardinal, a copy of the letter fell into the hands of some of
the courtiers who had been connected with him. They
represented to his majesty the danger of allowing private
men to judge of state affairs, and to censure the conduct of
ministers. Their representations made such an impression on the mind of Lewis, that he immediately ordered
M. de St. Evremond to be committed to the Bastile. But
St. Evremoud had no inclination to pay a second visit to
that fortress; and, therefore, having received private information of the design, found means to make his escape
out of France, and arrived in Holland about the end of
the year 1661.
St. Evremond also, drew his own character, in a letter to the count de Grammont. It is as follows: “He was a philosopher equally
St. Evremond also, drew his own character, in a letter to
the count de Grammont. It is as follows: “He was a
philosopher equally removed from superstition and from
impiety a voluptuary, who had no less aversion from debauchery than inclination for pleasure a man who had
never felt the pressure of indigence, and who had never
been in possession of affluence. He lived in a condition
despised by those who have every thing, envied by those
who have nothing, and relished by those who make their
reason the foundation of their happiness. When he was
young, he hated profusion, being persuaded that some
degree of wealth was necessary for the conveniences of a
long life. When he was old, he could hardly endure ceconomy; being of opinion, that want is little to be dreaded
when a man has but little time left to be miserable. He
was well pleased with nature, and did not complain of fortune. He hated vice, was indulgent to frailties, and lamented misfortunes. He sought not after the failings of
men with a design to expose them; he only found what
was ridiculous in them for his own amusement. He had a
secret pleasure in discovering this himself; and would,
indeed, have had a still greater in discovering this to others^
had he not been checked by discretion. Life, in his opinion, was too short to read all sorts of books, and to burden
one’s memory with a multitude of things at the expence
of one’s judgment. He did not apply himself to the most
learned writings, in order to acquire knowledge; but to
the most rational, to fortify his reason. He sometimes
chose the most delicate, to give delicacy to his own taste;
and sometimes the most agreeable, to give the same turn
to his own genius. It remains that he should be described
such as he was in friendship and in religion. In friendship he was more constant than a philosopher, and more
sincere than a young man of good nature without experience. With regard to religion, his piety consisted more
in justice and charity than in penance or mortification. He
placed his confidence in God, trusting in his goodness,
and hoping, that in the bosom of his providence, he should
find his repose and his felicity.
”
He was interred in Westminster- abbey, in the nave of
the church near the cloister, where a monument was erected to his memory by his friends, with an inscription, in
which he is highly praised. It is said to have been written
by Dr. Garth. Dr. Atterbury, who looked on St. Evreniond as an infidel, appears to have had objections to his
being buried in the abbey, for which he is reflected upon,
with petulant malignity, by one of the editors of the last
edition of the Biographia Brttannica.
e, bat more distinguished by her wit and literary productions than by her family, was married to the count de Fayette in 1655, and died in lt'i.93. She cultivated letters
, a French lady, daughter of Aymar de la
Vergne, marechal-de-camp, and governor of
Havre-deGrace, bat more distinguished by her wit and literary productions than by her family, was married to the count de
Fayette in 1655, and died in lt'i.93. She cultivated letters
and the fine arts; and her hotel uas the rendezvous of all
who were most distinguished for literary taste. The duke
de la Rochefuucault, Huetius, Mennge, La Fontaine, Segrais, were those she saw most frequently. The last, when
obliged to quit the house of Mad. de Montpensier, found
an honourable retreat with her. The author of “The Memoirs of madame de Maintenon,
” has not spoken favourably of this lady, nor represented her manners to be such
as from her connections we should suppose. But madame
de Sevigne, who had better opportunities of knowing her,
and is more to be relied on than the author of the memoirs,
has painted her very differently. This lady says, in a letter to her daughter, “Mad. la Fayette is a very amiable
and a very estimable woman; and whom yon will love
when you shall have time to be with her, and to enjoy the
benefit of her sense and wit; the better you luiow her, the
more you will like her.
”
in 1672 was made preceptor to the princes of Conti. In 1680 he had the care of the education of the count de Vermandois, admiral of France. After the death of this prince,
, a celebrated French ecclesiastical historian, was the son of an advocate, and born at Paris. Dec. 6, 1640. He discovered early a strong inclination, for letters, but applied himself particularly to the law, in. consequence of which he was made advocate for the parliament of Paris in 1658, and attended the bar nine years. He then took orders, for which he was more eagerly disposed, and more highly qualified by virtues as well as learning; and in 1672 was made preceptor to the princes of Conti. In 1680 he had the care of the education of the count de Vermandois, admiral of France. After the death of this prince, which happened in about four years, the king preferred him to the abbey of Loc-Dieu, belonging; to the Cistercians, and in the diocese of Rhodez. In 1689 the king made him sub-preceptor to the dukes of Burgundy, Anjou, and Berri, in which important employment he acted under the celebrated Fenelon. In 1696 he was admitted a member of the French academy. In 1706, when the education of the three princes was finished, the king gave him the rich priory of Argenteuil, belonging to the Benedictines, in the diocese of Paris, upon which promotion he resigned the abbey of Loc-Dieu. If he had possessed ambition to solicit the greatest situations, he would have obtained them, but his disinterestedness was equal to his other virtues. He was a hermit in the midst of the court. In 1716 he was chosen confessor to Louis XV. in which situation it was said of him that his only fault wati that of being seventy-five years old; and on July 14, 1725, he died, in his eighty-third year.
went afterwards into France, and returned to Germany, where, having been some time counsellor to the count de Hohenloe, and his envoy at Vienna, he became vice-chancellor,
, an Austrian lawyer, was
born in 1598. He published a political work at the age of
nineteen, entitled “Hypomnemata politica,
” and spoke
a congratulatory harangue at Padua in the name of the
German youth, in the presence of John Cornaro, who was
just elected doge of Venice, with which the latter was so
much pleased, that he honoured Forstner with the order of
St. Mark. Forstner went afterwards into France, and returned to Germany, where, having been some time counsellor to the count de Hohenloe, and his envoy at Vienna,
he became vice-chancellor, then chancellor of Montbeliard.
He was afterwards employed in the negociations for the
peace of Munster, and discovered so much prudence, and
such great abilities, that the count de Traumandorf, the
emperor’s plenipotentiary, procured him the rank of aulic
counsellor. He died October 28, 1667, and left, besides
his “Hypomnemata politica,
” De principatu Tiberii, Notæ politicæ ad Taciturn,
” a collection of
his Letters on the Peace of Munster; “Omissorum Liber;
”
“Epistola apologetica ad amicum, contra secreti Temeratores, et Epistola de moderno Imperii statu;
” and two
historical letters, in tom. XIV. of Schelhorn’s Amœnitates
Litterariæ.
re; at which foreigners, as well as French, were admitted and assisted. Hence he became known to the count de Toledo, who was infinitely pleased with his conversation,
He afterwards was employed in reading lectures: he explained the Greek fathers to some, and the Hebrew and Syriac languages to others. After. that, he undertook the education of the sons of the duke d'Antin, who were committed to his care, and studied in the college of Harcourt. He was at the same time received an advocate; but the law not being suited to his taste, he returned to his former studies. He then contracted an acquaintance with the abbé Bignon, at whose instigation he applied himself to the Chinese tongue, and succeeded beyond his expectations, for he had a prodigious memory, and a particular turn for languages. He now became very famous. He held conferences at his own house, once or twice a week, upon subjects of literature; at which foreigners, as well as French, were admitted and assisted. Hence he became known to the count de Toledo, who was infinitely pleased with his conversation, and made him great offers, if he would go into Spain; but Fourmont refused. In 1715 he succeeded M. Galland to the Arabic chair in the royal college. The same year he was admitted a member of the academy of inscriptions; of the royal society at London in 1738; and of that of Berlin in 1741. He was often consulted by the duke of Orleans, who had a particular esteem for him, and made him one of his secretaries. He died at Paris in 1743.
l having friends to protect his innocence, he proved it at length to the court of Spain, who ordered count de Benevento, viceroy of Naples, to employ him, and Frachetta
, an eminent political writer,
was a native of Rovigno in Italy, and spent several years
at Rome, where he was greatly esteemed by Sessa, ambassador of Philip II. king of Spain. He was employed in
civil as well as military affairs, and acquitted himself always
with great applause; yet he had like to have been ruined,
and to have even lost his Hfe, by his enemies. This
obliged him to withdraw to Naples; and still having friends
to protect his innocence, he proved it at length to the
court of Spain, who ordered count de Benevento, viceroy
of Naples, to employ him, and Frachetta lived in a very
honourable manner at Naples, where a handsome pension
was allowed him. He gained great reputation by his political works, the most considerable of which is that entitled
“II Seininario de Governi di Stato, et di Guerra.
” In
this work he has collected, under an hundred and ten
chapters, about eight thousand military and state maxims,
extracted from the best authors; and has added to each
chapter a discourse, which serves as a commentary to it.
This work was printed twice, at least, by the author, reprinted at Venice in 1647, and at Genoa in 1648, 4to;
and there was added to it, “II Principe,
” by the same
writer, which was published in 1597. The dedication
informs us, that Frachetta was prompted to write this book
from a conversation he had with the duke of Sessa; in
which the latter observed, among other particulars, that
he thought it as important as it was a difficult task, to inform princes truly pf such transactions as happen in their
dominions. His other compositions are, “Discorso della
Ragione di Stato: Discorso della Ragione di Guerra:
Esposizione di tutta l'Opera di Lucrezio.
” He died at
Naples in the beginning of the seventeenth century, but
at what age is unknown.
Almost immediately after this event Froissart found another patron in Guy count de 3lojis, who made him clerk oJ' his chapel; and he testified
Almost immediately after this event Froissart found another patron in Guy count de 3lojis, who made him clerk
oJ' his chapel; and he testified his gratitude by a pastoral,
and epithalamium on a marriage in the family. He passed
the years 1385, 1386, and 1387, sometimes in the Blaisois,
sometimes in Touraine; but the count de Blois having
engaged him to continue his history, which he left unfinished, he determined in 1388 to take advantage of the
peace which was just concluded, to visit the court of Gaston Phoebus count de Foix, in order to gain full information in whatever related to foreign countries, and the more
distant provinces of the kingdom-. His health and age still
allowed him to bear great fatigue; his memory was
suifrciently strong to retain whatever he should hear; and his
judgment clear enough, to point out to him the use he
should make of it. In his journey to the count de Foix,
he met on the road with sir Espaing du Lyon, a gallant
knight who had served in the wars, and was able to give
him much information. At length they arrived at Ortez
in Beam, the ordinary residence of the count de Foix,
where Froissart met with a society suited to. his views,
composed of brave captains who had distinguished themselves in combats or tournaments. Here Froissart used to
entertain Gaston, after supper, by reading to him the romance of “Meliador,
” which he had brought with him.
After a considerable residence at this court, he left it in
the suite of the young duchess of Berry, whom he accorupanied to Avignon. His stay here, however, was unfortunate, as he was robbed; which incident he made the subject of a long poem, representing his loss, and his expensive turn. Among other things he says that the composition of his works had cost him 700 francs, but he regretted,
not this expence, for he adds, “I have composed many a
history which will be spoken of by posterity.
”
and treasurer of the collegiate church of Chirnay, which he probably owedi to the friendship of the count de Blois. In 1395, after an absence of twenty-seven years, he
After a series of travels into different countries, for the
sake of obtaining information, we find him in 1390 in his
own country, solely occupied in the completion of his
history, at least until 1392, when he was again at Paris.
From the year 1378 he had obtained from pope Clement
VII. the reversion of a canonry at Lille, and in the collection of his poetry, which was completed in 1393, and
elsewhere, he calls himself canon of Lille; but pope Clement dying in 1394, he gave up his expectations of the.
reversion, and began to qualify himself as canon and treasurer of the collegiate church of Chirnay, which he probably owedi to the friendship of the count de Blois. In
1395, after an absence of twenty-seven years, he returned
to England, where he was received with marks of high
favour and affection by Richard II. and the royal family;
and here he went on collecting information for his history,
and had the honour to present his “Meliador
” to the king,
who was much delighted with it. After a residence of three
mouths, he was dismissed with marks of princely favour,
which he endeavoured to return by his affectionate and
grateful' lamentation on the death of his royal patron, at
the end of the fourth volume of his history.
my, knowing his merit and modesty, adjudged him twice the prize of 1200 livres, which was founded by count de Valbelle as a recompense to authors who had made the best
The love of study and retirement was so strong in him,
that he entirely neglected opportunities of making his way
in the world. “I like better,
” he used to say, “to pay
court to the public, than to individuals whom that public
despises.
” In his need, for he was long unprovided for,
he knew how to contract his wants, and never was ashamed
to own that in the first years of his residence at Paris he
brought himself to live on bread and water, which he preferred to the more painful necessity of soliciting his
friends. His modesty was equal to his learning, which all
acknowledge was extensive and profound. In the first
volume of his great work, “Le monde primitif,
” we find
him acknowledging with the greatest exactness, as well as
gratitude, every assistance he derived from books, or living authors. The French academy, knowing his merit
and modesty, adjudged him twice the prize of 1200 livres,
which was founded by count de Valbelle as a recompense
to authors who had made the best use of their talents.
of letters, who wrote for his amusement. Here he mixed in familiar society with D'Alembert, Diderot, count de Caylus, the abbé de Bleterie, Barthelemy, Raynal, Arnaud,
In France, however, the fame of his essay had preceded
him, and he was gratified by being considered as a man of
letters, who wrote for his amusement. Here he mixed
in familiar society with D'Alembert, Diderot, count de
Caylus, the abbé de Bleterie, Barthelemy, Raynal, Arnaud, Helvetius, and others, who were confessedly at the
head of French literature. After passing fourteen weeks
in Paris, he revisited (in the month of May 1763) his old
friends at Lausanne, where he remained nearly a year.
Among the occurrences here which he records with most
pleasure, is his forming an acquaintance with Mr. Holroyd,
now lord Sheffield, who has since done so much honour to
his memory, and whom he characterises as “a friend whose
activity in the ardour of youth was always prompted by a
benevolent heart, and directed by a strong understanding.
”
In 1764 he set out for Italy, after having studied the
geography and ancient history of the seat of the Roman
empire, with such attention as might render his visit profitable. Although he disclaims that enthusiasm which takes
fire at every novelty, the sight of Rome appears to have
conquered his apathy, and at once fixed the source of his
fame. “It was at Rome, on the 15th of October 1764, as
he sat musing amidst the ruins of the capitol, while the
bare-footed friars were singing vespers in the temple of
Jupiter (now the church of the Zoccolants, or Franciscan friars) that the idea of writing the Decline and Fall of
the city first started to his mind.
” But this appears to hate
been merely the effect of local emotion, for his plan was
then confined to the decay of the city. In the month of
June 1765, he arrived at his father’s house, and seems to
have entered on a life which afforded no incident, or room
for remark. The five years and a half which intervened
between his travels and his father’s death in 1770, he informs us, were the portion of his life which he passed with
the least enjoyment, and remembered with the least satisfaction. By the resignation of his father, and the death
of sir Thomas Worsley, he was promoted to the rank of
major and lieutenant-colonel commandant of his regiment
of militia, but was, each year that it was necessary to attend the monthly meeting and exercise, more disgusted
with “the inn, the wine, the company, and the tiresome
repetition of annual attendance and daily exercise.
”
s of the military school. He afterwards co-operated, under the marquis de Paulmy, and again with the count de Tressan, in the “Bibliotheque des Romans;” after which he
, was born at Amiens, June
3, 1737, and was surnamed d'Aussy, because his father
was a native of Auxy-le-Chateau, in the department of
Pas-de-Calais. He received his education in the college
of the Jesuits at Amiens at the age of eighteen entered
into the society of his preceptors and, a few years afterxvards, had the honour of being elected to the rhetorical
chair at Caen. At the age of twenty-six he was thrown on
the world by the dissolution of the order, and was soon
employed in the elaborate work of the French Glossary,
projected by Lacurne de Sainte-Palaye, and in an examination of the very rich library of the marquis de Paulmy.
In 1770 he was appointed secretary in the direction of the
studies of the military school. He afterwards co-operated,
under the marquis de Paulmy, and again with the count
de Tressan, in the “Bibliotheque des Romans;
” after
which he became still deeper engaged in collecting, translating, extracting, and commenting upon the “Fabliaux,
”
or tales of the old French poets of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In 1782 he published, in three volumes,
8vo, his “Histoire de la Vie privee des Frangais;
” and in
Tour to Auvergne,
” which
province he visited the preceding year, at the entreaty of
his Jesuit brother Peter Theodore Lewis Augustin, who
was then prior of the abbey of Saint Andre, in the town of
Clermont. This Tour he first published in one volume,
ivo; but he afterwards enlarged and republished it in
1795, in three volumes of the same size. His contributions
to the Institute were numerous, and, for the most part,
possessed of merit. For some years before his death, he
had conceived the plan of a complete history of French
poetry, and had even begun to carry it into execution; and
as he stood in need of all the treasures of the national library, he was fortunately nominated, in 1796, conservator
of the French Mss. of this library and he now not only
renewed his intention, but enlarged his scheme he included in it the history of the French tongue that of literature in all its extent, and all its various ramifications as
well as that of science, of arts, and their utility in different
applications a monument too vast for the life and power
of an individual to be able to construct. He had, however,
accomplished some part of his design, when, after a slight
indisposition which caused no alarm, he died suddenly in
1801. He was upon the whole a retired and taciturn scholar. “His life,
” says his biographer, “like that of most
other men of letters, may be comprized in two lines What
were his places of resort The libraries. Among whom did
he live His books. What did he ever produce Books.
What did he ever say? That which appears in his books.
”
o, 1749, and in 3 vols. 8vo, 1805, and consist of pieces of poetry, fairy-tales, and “Memoirs of the Count de Grammont,” all of which are excellent in their kind. The
, of whom some notice
has been taken in our account of Grammont, was of an
ancient Scotch family, but born in Ireland, whence with
his family he passed over to France, as followers of the
fate of Charles the Second. At the Restoration he again
returned to England, but was a second time compelled to
leave this country at the revolution. He was an elegant
and accomplished character, and was for many years the
delight and ornament of the most splendid circles of society, by his wit, his taste, and above all, his writings.
His works have been often published, particularly in 6
vols. 12mo, 1749, and in 3 vols. 8vo, 1805, and consist of
pieces of poetry, fairy-tales, and “Memoirs of the Count
de Grammont,
” all of which are excellent in their kind.
The Fairy Tales were intended as a refined piece of ridicule on the passion for the marvellous, which made the
Arabian Nights Entertainments so eagerly read at their
first appearance. The “Memoirs of Grammont
” will
always excite curiosity, as giving a striking and too faithful detail of the dissolute manners of Charles II. 's court.
Count Hamilton died at St. Germain’s, in 1720, aged seventy-four.
he family, and becoming farmer-general, made his fortune. He was honoured with the confidence of the count de Pontchartrain; and, being of a poetical turn, had some share
, an eminent French
writer, and president in parliament, was born at Paris,
Feb. 8, 1685. His great grandfather, Remi Henault, used to
be of Lewis XIII.' s party at tennis, and that prince called
him “The Baron,
” because of a fief which he possessed
near Triel. He had three sons, officers of horse, who were
all killed at the siege of Casal. John Remi, his father, an
esquire, and lord of Moussy, counsellor to the king, and
secretary to the council, kept up the honour of the family,
and becoming farmer-general, made his fortune. He was
honoured with the confidence of the count de Pontchartrain; and, being of a poetical turn, had some share in
the criticisms which appeared against Racine’s tragedies.
He married the daughter of a rich merchant at Calais, and
one of her brothers being president of that town, entertained the queen of England on her landing there in 1689.
Another brother, counsellor in the parliament of Metz,
and secretary to the duke of Berry, was associated with
Mr. Crozat in the armaments, and, dying unmarried, left
a great fortune to his sister.
Young Renault early discovered a sprightly, benevolent
disposition, and his penetration and aptness soon distinguished itself by the success of his studies. Claude de
Lisle, father of the celebrated geographer, gave him the
same lessons in geography and history which he had before
given to the duke of Orleans, afterwards regent. These
instructions have been printed in seven volumes, under the
title of “Abridgment of Universal History.
”
eaving any issue. He treated as his own children, those of his sister, who had married, in 1713, the count de Jonsac, and by him had three sons and two daughters. The
In 1763 Henault drew near his end. One morning,
after a quiet night, he felt an oppression, which the faculty
pronounced a suffocating cough. His confessor being
sent to him, he formed his resolution without alarm. He
mentioned afterwards, that he recollected having then said
to himself, “What do I regret
” and called to mind that
saying of madame de Sevigne, “I leave here only dying
creatures.
” He received the sacraments. It was believed
the next night would be his last; but by noon the next
day he was out of danger. “Now,
” said he, “I know
what death is. It will not be new to me any more.
” He
never forgot it during the following seven years of his life,
which, like all the rest, were gentle and calm. Full of
gratitude for the favours of Providence, resigned to its decrees, offering to the Author of his being a pure and sincere devotion; he felt his infirmities without complaining,
and perceived a gradual decay with unabated firmness.
He died Dec. 24, 1771, in his 86th year. He married, in
1714, a daughter of M. le Bas de Montargis, keeper of
the royal treasure, &c. who died in 1728, without leaving
any issue. He treated as his own children, those of his
sister, who had married, in 1713, the count de Jonsac,
and by him had three sons and two daughters. The two
younger sons were killed, one at Brussels, the other at
Lafelt, both at the head of the regiments of which they
were colonels; the eldest long survived, and was lieutenant-general and governor of Collioure and Port Vendre
in Roussillon. The elder daughter married M. le Veneur,
count de Tillieres, and died in 1757; the second married
the marquis d'Aubeterre, ambassador to Vienna, Madrid,
and Rome. In 1800 a very able posthumous work of the
president’s was published at Paris, entitled “Histoire
Critique de l'Etablissement des Francois dans les Gaules,
”
2 vols. 8vo.
25. He afterwards studied at Leyden and Cambridge. He undertook the education of the two sons of the count de Kurtzbach, and accompanied them to Holland. While he resided
, an eminent naturalist, was born
at Sambter, in Great Poland, in 1603: he received the
greater part of his education in his own country; but in
1622, he came to England, and from thence he went to
Scotland, where he studied with great diligence in the
university of St. Andrew’s till 1625. He afterwards studied
at Leyden and Cambridge. He undertook the education
of the two sons of the count de Kurtzbach, and accompanied them to Holland. While he resided with his pupils
at Leyden, he took his degree as doctor of physic; and
when he went a third time to England, the same honour
was conferred on him by the university of Cambridge. He
died in June 1675, in the seventy-second year of his age.
He is known in the literary world by a number of works in
the different departments of natural history, particularly
“Thaumatographia naturalis in classes decem divisa,
”
Amst. Historia naturalis de Piscibus et
Cetis, &c.
” Francfort, Historia naturalis de
Quadrupedibus,
” ibid, Hist. nat. de Insectibus,
” ibid. Hist. nat. de Avibus,
” ibid, folio;
“Syntagma Dendrologicum,
” and “Dendrographia,
” folio.
He published also some historical works, and some on
ethics, &c. enumerated in our authorities.
in life, that on the recommendation of baron Spanheim, he was appointed tutor to the two sons of the count de Schewerin, prime-minister of the king of Prussia. He had
, a learned critic, was born in the
month of Feb. 1670 at Blomberg, a little town in Westphalia, where his father was a magistrate. He learned
polite literature under his elder brother, who taught it in
the college of Joachim at Berlin. He distinguished himself so early in life, that on the recommendation of baron
Spanheim, he was appointed tutor to the two sons of the
count de Schewerin, prime-minister of the king of Prussia.
He had also the promise of a professorship in the college
of Joachim at Berlin but, till that should be vacant,
Kuster, who was then but about five-and-twenty, resolved
to travel into Germany, France, England, and Holland.
He went first to Francfort upon the Oder, where he
studied the civil law for some time; and thence to Antwerp, Ley den, and Utrecnt, where he remained a considerable time, and wrote several works. In 1699, he
passed over into England, and the year following into
France, where his chief employment was to collate Suidas
with three manuscripts in the king’s library. About the
end of this year he returned to England, and in four years
finished his edition of Suidas, on which he may be said to
have meditated day and night. He relates himself, that,
being one night awaked by thunder and lightning, he became so alarmed for this work, that he rose immediately,
and carried it to bed with him, as his most valuable treasure. It was published at Cambridge in 1705, and is by
far the best edition of that valuable Lexicon; and Le
Clerc tells us, that the university furnished part of the
expence of it. The Bodleian library has lately become
possessed of a copy, covered from one end to the other
with manuscript notes by D'Orville and others. Kuster
was honoured with the degree of doctor by the university
of Cambridge, and had several advantageous offers made
him to continue there; but was obliged to wave them,
being recalled to Berlin, to take possession of the professorship, which had been promised him. He afterwards resigned this place, and went to Amsterdam; where,
in 1710, he published an edition of “Aristophanes,
” in
folio, whicb the public had been prepared some time to
expect by an account as well as a specimen of that work,
given by LeClerc in his “Bibliotheque choisie,
” for Lysistrata,
” some notes of Isaac Casaubon on the “Equites,
”
and of Spanheim and Bentley, on a few of the earlier
plays. It is, upon the whole, a noble production, and has
been long esteemed by the first literary characters abroad
and at home. Kuster gave an edition also of “Mill’s
Greek Testament
” the same year; in which he had compared the text with twelve manuscripts which Mill never
saw. Of these twelve there were nine in the king of
France’s library; but, excepting one, which has all the
books of the New Testament, the rest contain no more
than the four Gospels. The tenth manuscript belonged to
Carpzovius, a minister of Leipsic, and contains the four
Gospels. The eleventh was brought from Greece by
Seidel, of Berlin; but it has not the four Gospels. The
last, which Kuster most highly valued, was communicated
to him by Bornier, who bought it at the public sale of
the library of Francius, professor of rhetoric at Amsterdam. After Kuster’s preface, follows a letter of Le Clerc
concerning Mill’s work. From Amsterdam he removed to
Rotterdam, and went some time after to Antwerp, to confer
with the Jesuits about some doubts he had in religious
matters; the consequence of this was his being brought
over to the Roman catholic religion, and his abjuring that
of the Protestants July 25, 1713, in the church of the noviciates belonging to the Jesuits. The king of France rewarded him with a pension of 2000 livres; and as a mark
of "distinction, ordered him to be admitted supernumerary
associate of the academy of inscriptions. But he did not
enjoy this new settlement long; for he died October 12,
1716, of an abscess in the pancreas, aged only forty-six.
whose house he lodged; and he was also very instrumental in procuring the escape of Philip de Mornay count de Plessis; but, trusting too much to the respect due to his
In 1565, Augustus elector of Saxony invited him to his court, and appointed him envoy to that of France the same year, after which he sent him as his deputy to the diet of the empire, which was called by the emperor Maximilian in 1568, at Augsburg. Thence the same master dispatched him to Heidelberg, to negotiate some business with the elector palatine; and from Heidelberg he went to Cologne, where he acquired the esteem and confidence of Charlotte de Bourbon, princess of Orange. The elector of Saxony sent him also to the diet of Spires; and in 1570 to Stetin, in quality of plenipotentiary, for mediating a peace between the Swedes and the Muscovites, who had chosen this elector for their mediator. This prince the same year sent Languet a second time into France, to Charles IX. and the queen-mother Catharine of Medicis, in the execution of which commission he made a remarkably bold speech to the French monarch, in the name of the protestant princes in Germany. He was at Paris upon the memorable bloody feast of St. Bartholomew, in 1572, when he saved the life of Andrew Wechelius, the famous printer, in whose house he lodged; and he was also very instrumental in procuring the escape of Philip de Mornay count de Plessis; but, trusting too much to the respect due to his character of envoy, was obliged for his own safety to the good offices of John de Morvillier, who had been keeper of the seals. Upon his recal from Paris, he received orders to go to Vienna, where he was in 1574; and in 1575 he was appointed one the principal arbitrators for determining of the disputes, which had lasted for thirty years, between the houses of Longueville and Baden, concerning the succession of Rothelin.
Lunebourg, princess Palatine; the princess of Wales, afterwards Caroline queen of Great Britain; the count de Fleming; mons. Daguesseau, chancellor of France; and a great
, a learned French writer in the
eighteenth century, was born at Bazoches, in Beausse,
April 13, 1661. He was son of Paul Lenfant, minister at
Chatillon, who died at Marbourg, in June 1686. He studied
divinity at Saumur, where he lodged at the house of James
Cappel, professor of Hebrew, by whom he was always
highly esteemed; and afterwards went to Geneva, to continue his studies there. Leaving Geneva towards the end
of 1683, he went to Heidelberg, where he was ordained
in August, 1684. He discharged the duties of his function
there with great reputation as chaplain of the electress
dowager of Palatine, and pastor in ordinary to the French
church. The descent of the French into the Palatinate,
however, obliged him to depart from Heidelberg in 1688.
Two letters which he had written against the Jesuits, and
which are jnserted at the end of his “Preservatif,
” ren r
dered it somewhat hazardous to continue at the mercy of
a society whose power was then in its plenitude. He left
the Palatinate, therefore, in October 1688, with the consent of his church and superiors, and arrived at Berlin in
November following. Though the French church of Berlin had already a sufficient number of ministers, the elector
Frederic, afterwards king of Prussia, appointed Mr. Lenfant one of them, who began his functions on Easter-day,
March the 21st, 1689, and continued them thirty-nine
years and four months, and during this time added greatly
to his reputation by his writings. His merit was so fully
acknowledged, as to be rewarded with every mark of distinction suitable to his profession. He was preacher to the
queen of Prussia, Charlotta-Sophia, who was eminent for
her sense and extensive knowledge, and after her death he
became chaplain to the king of Prussia. He was counsellor of the superior consistory, and member of the French
council, which were formed to direct the general affairs of
that nation. In 1710 he was chosen a member of the society for propagating the gospel established in England;
and March the 2d, 1724, was elected member of the academy of sciences at Berlin. In 1707 he took a journey to
Holland and England, where he had the honour to preach
before queen Anne; and if he had thought proper to leave
his church at Berlin, for which he had a great respect, he
might have had a settlement at London, with the rank of
chaplain to her majesty. In 1712, he went to Helmstad;
in 1715 to Leipsic; and in 1725, to Breslaw, to search
for rare books and manuscripts necessary for the histories
which he was writing. In those excursions he was honoured with several valuable materials from the electress
of Brunswic-Lunebourg, princess Palatine; the princess
of Wales, afterwards Caroline queen of Great Britain;
the count de Fleming; mons. Daguesseau, chancellor of
France; and a great number of learned men, both protestants and papists, among the latter of whom was the abbé
Bignon. It is not certain whether he first formed thedesign of the “Bibliotheque Germanique,
” which began
in Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die,
and not live.
” He related this dream to some of his
friends, and although not a credulous man, it is thought
to have made some impression on him, for he applied with
additional vigour to finish his “History of the War of the
Hussites and the Council of Basil.
” On Sunday July the
25tn following, he had preached in his turn at his church;
but on Thursday, July the 29th, he had a slight attack
of the palsy, which was followed by one more violent, of
which he died on the 7th of the next month, in his sixtyeighthyear. He was interred at Berlin, at the foot of the pulpit of the French church, where he ordinarily preached since
1715, when his Prussian majesty appointed particular ministers to every church, which before were served by the
same ministers in their turns. His stature was a little below the common height. His eye was very lively anil penetrating. He did not talk much, but always well. Whenever any dispute arose in conversation, he spoke without
any heat; a proper and delicate irony was the only weapon
he made use of on such occasions. He loved company,
and passed but few days without seeing some of his friends.
He was a sincere friend, and remarkable for a disinterested
and generous disposition. In preaching, his voice was
good; his pronunciation distinct and varied; his style
clear, grave, and elegant without affectation; and he entered into the true sense of a text with great force. His
publications were numerous in divinity, ecclesiastical history, criticism, and polite literature. Those which are
held in the highest estimation, are his Histories of the
Councils of Pisa, Constance, and Basil, each in 2 vols.
4to. These are written with great ability and impartiality,
and they abound with interesting facts and curious researches. Lenfant, in conjunction with M. Beausobre,
published “The New Testament, translated from the original Greek into French,
” in 2 vols. 4to, with notes, and
a general preface, or introduction to the reading of the
Holy Scriptures, useful for students in divinity. He is
known also by his “De iuquirenda Veritate,
” which is a
translation of Malebranche’s “Search after Truth
”
“The History of Pope Joan
” “Poggiana or, the life,
character,- opinions, c. of Poggio the Florentine, with
the History of the Republic of Florence,
” and the abovementioned “History of the Wars of the Hussites,
” Utrecht,
Dissertation upon the Adamites of Bohemia.
”
h not receiving him as he expected, he went to Brussels, and in consequence of an application to the count de Vergeunes, was allowed to return to France. He had not been
, a French advocate and political writer, was born at Rheims, July 14,
1736. His father was one of the professors of the college
of Beauvais, at Paris, and had his son educated under him,
v who made such proficiency in his studies as to gain the
three chief prizes of the college in 1751. This early celebrity was noticed by the duke de Deux-Pont, then at
Paris, who took him with him to the country; but Linguet
soon left this nobleman for the service of the prince de
Beavau, who employed him as his aide-de-camp in the war
in Portugal, on account of his skill in mathematics.
During his residence in that country, Linguet learned the
language so far as to be able to translate some Portuguese
dramas into French. Returning to France in 1762, he was
admitted to the bar, where his character was very various;
but amongst the reports both of enemies and friends, it
appears that of an hundred and thirty causes, he lost only
nine, and was allowed to shine both in oiatory and compo*sidon. He had the art, however, of making enemies by
the occasional liberties he took with characters; and at
one time twenty-four of his brethren at the bar, whether
from jealousy or a better reason, determined that they
would take no brief in any cause in which he was concerned, and the parliament of Paris approved this so far
as to interdict him from pleading. We are not sufficiently
acquainted with the circumstances of the case to be able to
form an opinion on the justice of this harsh measure. It
appears, however, to have thrown Linguet out of his profession, and he then began to employ his pen on his numerous political writings but these, while they added to
his reputation as a lively writer, added likewise to the
number of his enemies. The most pointed satire levelled
at him was the “Theory of Paradox,
” generally attributed
to the abbe Morellet, who collected all the absurd paradoxes to be found in Linguet’s productions, which it must
be allowed are sufficiently numerous, and deserve the castigation he received. Linguet endeavoured to reply, but
the laugh was against him, and all the wits of Paris enjoyed his mortification. His “Journal,
” likewise, in which
most of his effusions appeared, was suppressed by the minister of state, Maurepas; and Linguet, thinking his personal liberty was now in danger, came to London; but the
English not receiving him as he expected, he went to
Brussels, and in consequence of an application to the count
de Vergeunes, was allowed to return to France. He had not
been here long, before, fresh complaints having been made
of his conduct, he was, Sept. 27, 1780, sent to the Bastille,
where he remained twenty months. Of his imprisonment
and the causes he published a very interesting account,
which was translated into English, and printed here in
1783. He was, after being released, exiled to Rethel,
but in a short time returned to England. He had been
exiled on two other occasions, once to Chartres, and the
other to Nogent-le-Kotrou. At this last place, he seduced
a madame But, the wife of a manufacturer, who accompanied him to England. From England he went again to
Brussels, and resumed his journal, or “Annales politiques,
”
in which he endeavoured to pay his court to the emperor
Joseph, who was so much pleased with a paper he had
written on his favourite project of opening the Scheldt,
that he invited him to Vienna, and made him a present of
1000 ducats. Linguet, however, soon forfeited the emperor’s favour, by taking part with Varider Noot and the other
insurgents of Brabant. Obliged, therefore, to quit the
Netherlands, he came to Paris in 1791, and appeared at
the bar of the constituent assembly as advocate for the colonial assembly of St. Domingo and the cause of the blacks.
In February 1792, he appeared in the legislative assembly
to denounce Bertrand de Moleville, the minister of the
marine; but his manner was so absurd, that notwithstanding the unpopularity of that statesman, the assembly treated
it with contempt, and Linguet indignantly tore in pieces
his memorial, which he had been desired to leave on the
table. During the reign of terror, he withdrew into the
country, but was discovered and brought before the revolutionary tribunal, and condemned to death June 27, 1794,
for having in his works paid court to the despots of Vienna
and London. At the age of fifty-seven he went with serenity and courage to meet his fate. It is not very easy
to form an opinion of Linguet’s real character. His
being interrupted in his profession seems to have thrown
him upon the public, whose prejudices he alternately
opposed and flattered. His works abound in contradictions, but upon the whole it may be inferred that he was a
lover of liberty, and no inconsiderable promoter of those
opinions which precipitated the revolution. That he was
not one of the ferocious sect, appears from his escape, and
his death. His works are very numerous. The principal
are, 1. “Voyage au labyrinthe du jardin du roi,
” Hague,
(Paris,) Histoire du siecle d'Alexandre,
” Paris, Projet d‘un canal et
d’un pont sur les cotes de Picardie,
” Le Fanatisme de Philosophes,
” Necessit6 d‘une reforme dans l’administration de la justice
et des lois civiles de France,
” Amst. La
Dime royale,
” Histoire
des Revolutions de l'empire Remain,
” Theorie des Lois,
” Histoire impartiale des Jesuites,
” Hardion’s Universal History,
” vols. 19th and 20th. 11.
“Theatre Espagnole,
” Theorie
du Libelle,
” Amst. (Paris), Du plusheureux gouvernment,
” &c.
Essai philosophique sur le
Monachisme,
”
, was born in 1635, the son of that count de Brienne who was ambassador in England in 1624. He had the
,
was born in 1635, the son of that count de Brienne who
was ambassador in England in 1624. He had the reversion of the secretary of state’s office which his father held,
and was made counsellor of state in 1651, when a boy of
sixteen, with permission to exercise this office when he
should attain the age of twenty- five. During this interval,
be travelled over Italy, Germany, and the north, to acquire a knowledge of the countries he was afterward to
treat with, and on his return, although only twenty-three
years old, the king permitted him to act as secretary of
state; but after his wife’s death, in 1665, Louis XIV.
obliged him to resign his post. M. de Lomenie then retired to the fathers of the oratory, and was sub-deacon,
but left them, and went to the court of Christian Louis,
duke of Mecklenburgh, in 1672. His residence at that
court was the origin of all the troubles which he brought
upon himself; for, having entertained a criminal passion
for the princess of Mecklenburg, he had the audacity to
acquaint her with it. She complained of this affront to
Louis XIV. who ordered him to return to Paris, and confined him in the abbey of St. Germain-des-Prez, then at
St. Benolt-sur- Loire, afterwards at St. Lazare, and lastly,
at the abbey of St. Severin, at Chateau Landon, where he
died, April 17, 1698. He left an account of his travels,
in Latin,entitled “Itinerarinm,
” 8vo, written with elegance
and perspicuity. 2. “Recueil de Poesies diverses et Chre
”tiennes,“Paris, 1671, 3 vols. 12mo. 3.
” Remarques
sur les Regies de la Poésie Françoise,“which are at the
end of the
” Nouvelle Methode Latine“of Port Royal,
the seventh edition, 8vo. M. de Châlons has borrowed,
without any acknowledgment, almost the whole of these
remarks, in his treatise
” Des Regies de la Poésie Fransoise.“Lomenie also published a translation of the
” Institutions
of Thanlerus," 8vo and 12mo, &c. and left in ms. memoirs of his life, and some poems. It appears from his
works, that he possessed wit and genius, but that a capricious, fickle, and inconstant disposition, joined to a depraved fancy, rendered them useless to him, ad in some
measure to the world.
on of them. He had now struggled for the chief part of his life with adverse circumstances; when the count de Lauragais, struck with his merit, and affected by his situation,
, a French grammarian of high reputation, was born at Marseilles, July 17,
1676, and entered into the congregation of die oratory,
but disgusted at the too great confinement of that institution, soon quitted it, and went to Paris. There he married in 1704, and practised for a time with some success
as an advocate. Ere long, however, we find him quitting
that profession, as not continuing to be advantageous, and
separated from his wife, on finding her temper intolerable.
He then undertook the care of educating pupils in several
great families; among others, that of the president des Maisons, of the Scottish adventurer Law, and the marquis de
Beaufremont. Some of these pupils did great honour to
his care of their principles and learning. Still he was not
fortunate enough to obtain any permanent provision; and
undertook a kind of academy, which did not succeed; and
he was for a considerable time reduced to go about giving
lessons at private houses, and subsisting in a very straitened
and precarious manner. At length, the persons who conducted the Encyclopedia, engaged him to bear a part in
that great work, to which the articles on the subject of
grammar, furnished by him, proved a most important aecession. They are distinguished by a sound and luminous
philosophy, an extent of learning by no means common,
great precision in the rules, and no less accuracy in the
application of them.
He had now struggled for the chief part of his life with
adverse circumstances; when the count de Lauragais,
struck with his merit, and affected by his situation, settled
upon him an annuity of a thousand livres. He died June
11, 1756, at the age of eighty. Du Marsais had been
considered during his life as sceptical, but is said to have
returned to a sense of religion before his death. Several
anecdotes were circulated respecting his indifference to
religion, which materially injured his fortune. It was even
said, that being called upon to educate three brothers in a
great family, he asked the parents in what religion they
would have them brought up? A story of little probability,
but which passed sufficiently current to injure him in the
minds of many respectable persons. His disposition was
mild and equal, his understanding clear and precise; and
his manners had a kind of simplicity which occasioned him
to be called the Fontaine of philosophers. Fontenelle said
of him, “C‘est le nigaud le plus spirituel, & l’homme
d'esprit le plus nigaud que je connoisse,
” that is, “He is
for a simpleton the most ingenious, and for a man of genius the most of a simpleton of any one I know.
” As his
own character was so natural, so also was he an ardent admirer of nature, and an enemy to all affectation; and his
precepts are said to have had great effect in teaching the
celebrated actress le Couvreur, that simple and natural
style of declamation which made her performance so pathetic, and raised her reputation to so great a height.
rue for being his own, conducts him in a more honourable manner, to the office of tutor to the young count de Rutowski, while he had also obtained an introduction to count
, a noted political adventurer, and well known about sixty years ago, as the editor of the Brussels Gazette, was born at Rouen in 1721. He took the habit of a capuchin in 1740, but broke through his religious engagements as soon as he found them incompatible with his inclinations, and determined to seek that fortune in foreign countries which he could no longer hope for in France. Of his future proceedings we have two accounts; the one, that he eloped with a nun, professed himself a protestant, and came to Brussels, where he obtained the protection of M. Kinschot, resident of the States, by whose means he got safe to Holland. Here a Saxon count falling in love with his nun, carried her with him to Dresden, and, at the same time recommended Maubert to a Saxon nobleman in that city, as preceptor to his sons. The other account, not the more true for being his own, conducts him in a more honourable manner, to the office of tutor to the young count de Rutowski, while he had also obtained an introduction to count Bruhl. The father of his pupil being an inveterate enemy of count Bruhl, had engaged with some friends to ruin him, and found Maubert by no means reluctant to assist in the plot. He accordingly drew up a deduction of grievances, which gained him the applause and confidence of the party, and greatly flattered his ambition. The plot being discovered, however, Maubert was arrested at the hotel de Rutowski, and irv a few weeks was sent to the fortress of Konigstein, where, he says, he was treated handsomely, allowed even luxuries, provided with books, and the liberty of walking and visiting in the fortress, with no other guard than a subaltern officer. Of his release we have also two accounts; the one, that it was accomplished by interest, the other by fraud. This was not the only prison, however, which he had occasion to visit and escape from; the rest of his life forms a series of adventures, more fit for a romance than any other species of narrative, and consists of the vicissitudes to which he was exposed by selling his talents, such as they were, to the best bidder, and writing on the side of that nation or government which paid him best.
, grandson of the count de Pontchartrain, who was minister under Louis XIV. was born
,
grandson of the count de Pontchartrain, who was minister
under Louis XIV. was born in 1701, anJ obtained an appointment of secretary at court so early as 1715. He was
superintendant of the king’s household in 1718, and of the
marine in 1723. In 1738 he was appointed minister of
state, and was in all situations full of genius, activity, and
sagacity. Being exiled to Bourges in 1749, by the intrigues of a lady very powerful at court, he made no secret
of the manner in which he felt that change. “The first
day,
” said he, “I was piqued, the second I was contented.
”
When he arrived at the place of his exile, he talked in a
lively manner of the dedications he should lose, and of the
disappointments of the authors who had wasted their fine
phrases upon him. He continued to amuse himself with
the pleasures of society, and enjoyed the invariable esteem
of many Valuable friends, and of the public. Being
recalled to the ministry in 1774, by Louis XVI. who treated
him with unbounded confidence, he disdained to revenge
any former neglect oy ill offices, and lived rather with the
ease of a rich private gentleman, than with the ostentation
of a minister. His views of objects were rapid, yet were
generally considered as profound; though in recommending the conduct which France pujsued with respect to
America, at the time of the revolt of that country, he certainly laid the foundation for the destruction of the French
monarchy. He was, however, a man of much public spirit,
and one who contributed not a little to the improvement of
the French marine. His correspondence was a model of
precision, expressing much meaning in very few words.
He died at the age of eighty, Nov. 21, 1781. He left
some curious “Memoirs,
” of which there are three editions,
published in
which he ever considered as one of the most fortunate in his life. This was his introduction to the count de Bruhl, who first came to England that year, as envoy extraordinary
In 1750, Mr. Mudge entered into partnership with Mr.
William Dutton, who had also been an apprentice of Mr.
Graham’s, and took a house in Fleet-street, opposite
Water-lane. In 1760, an event happened which he ever
considered as one of the most fortunate in his life. This
was his introduction to the count de Bruhl, who first came
to England that year, as envoy extraordinary from the
court of Saxony. This nobleman, who to many other
valuable qualities united great knowledge of mechanical
operations, ever after treated Mr. Mudge with the most
generous and condescending friendship; evincing on every
occasion the most ardent zeal for his fame and fortune, by
the most active services.
About this period Mr. Mudge appears to have first turned
his thoughts to the improvement of time-keepers; for, in
1765 he published a small tract entitled “Thoughts on
the Means of improving Watches, and particularly those
for the use of the Sea.
” In
We shall close these memoirs in the words of his excellency the count de Bruhl: Mr. Mudge “was a man whose superior genius as an artist,
We shall close these memoirs in the words of his excellency the count de Bruhl: Mr. Mudge “was a man whose
superior genius as an artist, united with the liberality of a
mind replete with candour, simplicity, modesty, and integrity, deserve the highest admiration and respect; whose
name will he handed down to the remotest posterity, with
the same veneration which attends the names of his predecessors in the same line, Tompion, Graham, and Harrison,
who, while living, were admired by their contemporaries,
and whose fame adds to the splendour and glory of this
great nation.
”
Soon after this, some disputes between him and count de Tarouca, plenipotentiary at the imperial court from that
Soon after this, some disputes between him and count de
Tarouca, plenipotentiary at the imperial court from that
of Lisbon, induced him to give up his post as secretary.
What the nature of these disputes were, we are not informed, but it appears that they exposed him to the hostility of a powerful party of that nobleman’s relations and
friends at the court of Lisbon, while his growing attachment to Protestantism making him less guarded in his expressions, the inquisition of Lisbon found a pretence to
censure him. Accordingly, when the first volume of the
“Memoirs of his Travels
” was published at Amsterdam m
Letters, familiar, historical, political, and critical,
” printed at the Hague, in Memoires concernant le Portugal,
”
Hague,
, having obtained but a partial redress from the court of Portugal in the matter of his dispute with count de Tarouca, he came in 1744 to London, to avail himself of the
After four years residence in Holland, having obtained but a partial redress from the court of Portugal in the matter of his dispute with count de Tarouca, he came in 1744 to London, to avail himself of the interest of the Porttu guese envoy, Mons. de Carvalho, afterwards marquis of Ponabal, but although this gentleman professed to admit the justice of his claims, he did him no substantial service. The chevalier, however* had another affair at this time more at heart, and after carefully weighing all the consequences of the step he was about to take, he determined to sacrifice every thing to the dictates of his conscience, and accordingly in June 1746 he publicly abjured the Roman catholic religion, and embraced that of the church of England. As he was now cut off from all his resources in Portugal, he for socoe time encountered many difficulties; but that Providence in which he always trusted, raised him several friends in this country, and to the interest of some of these it is supposed he owed the pension granted him by the late Frederick, prince of Wales, which was continued by the princess dowager, and after her decease, by the present queen. He also acknowledges his obligations to Dr. Majendie, lord Grantham, lord Townshend, the duchess dowager of Somerset, and the archbishops Seeker and Herring.
en one of the completes! gentlemen of his time. Louis XIII. was heard to say several times, that the count de Pagan was one of the most worthy, most adroit, and most valiant
His character is that of an universal genius; and, having
turned himself entirely to the art of war, and particularly
to the branch of fortification, he made extraordinary progress in it. He understood mathematics, not only better
than is usual for a gentleman whose view is to rise in the
army, but even to a degree of perfection above that of the
ordinary masters who teach that science. He had so particular a genius for this kind of learning, that he obtained
it more readily by meditation than by reading, and accordingly spent less time on mathematical books than he did in
those of history and geography. He had also made morality and politics his particular study; so that he may be
said to have drawn his own character in his “Homme Hero'ique,
” and to have been one of the completes! gentlemen of his time. Louis XIII. was heard to say several
times, that the count de Pagan was one of the most worthy,
most adroit, and most valiant men in his kingdom. That
branch of his family which removed from Naples to France
in 1552, became extinct in his person.
palace, when he returned to Milan. It was also his learning, which made him tenderly beloved by the count de Fuentes, governor of Milan and afterwards by the archduke
Still he was allowed to have accumulated a great fund of
learning. Bullart says, “It was the great learning of Puteanus, which, having won the heart of Urban VIII. deter*
mined that great pope to send him his portrait in a gold
medal, very heavy, with some copies of his works. It was
that same learning, which engaged cardinal Frederic Borromeo to receive him into his palace, when he returned to
Milan. It was also his learning, which made him tenderly
beloved by the count de Fuentes, governor of Milan and
afterwards by the archduke Albert, who, having promoted
him to Justus Lipsius’s chair, admitted him also most honourably into the number of his counsellors. Lastly, it
was his learning; which made him so much esteemed in the
chief courts of Europe, and occasioned almost all the
princes, the learned men, the ambassadors of kings, and
the generals of armies, to give him proofs of their regard
in the letters they wrote to him; of which above sixteen
thousand were found in his library, all placed in a regular
order. He had the glory to save the king of Poland’s life,
by explaining an enigmatical writing drawn up in unknown
characters, which no man could read or understand, and
which contained the scheme of a conspiracy against that
prince.
” He was also, in his private character, a man of
piety, of an obliging disposition, andremarkable not only
for his kindness to his scholars, but for many good offices
to his countrymen in every case of need. The archduke
Albert, as Bullart notices, nominated him one of his
counsellors, and entrusted him with the government of the
castle of Louvain. He died at Louvain Sept. 17, 1646, in
the seventy-second year of his age. Nicolas Vernulaeus
pronounced his funeral oration, and his life was published
by Milser with an engraved portrait.
to march to Pans, Puy-Segur was ordered to oppose them with a small body of troops. The general, the count de Soissons, fearing afterwards that he would be cut off, which
, lieutenant-general under Louis XIII. and XIV. was of a noble
family in Armagnac, and was born in the year 1600. He
is one of those Frenchmen of distinction who have written
memoirs of their own time, from which so abundant materials are supplied to their history, more than are generally
found in other countries. His memoirs extend from 1617 to
1658. - They were first published at Paris, and at Amsterdam in 1690, under the inspection of Du Chene, historiographer of France, in 2 vols. 12mo, and are now republished in the general collection of memoirs. The life of
iPuy-Segur was that of a very active soldier. He entered
into the army in 1617, and served forty-three years without intermission, rising gradually to the rank of lieutenantgeneral. In 1636, the Spaniards having attempted to pass
the Somme, in order to march to Pans, Puy-Segur was
ordered to oppose them with a small body of troops. The
general, the count de Soissons, fearing afterwards that he
would be cut off, which was but too probable, sent his aidde-camp to tell him that he might retire if he thought proper. “Sir,
”“replied this brave officer,
” a man ordered
upon a dangerous service, like the present, has no opinion
to form about it. I came here by the count’s command,
and shall not retire upon his permission only. If he would
have me return, he must command it." This gallant man
is said to have been at one hundred and twenty sieges, in
which there was an actual cannonade, and in more than
thirty battles or skirmishes, yet never received a wound.
He died in 1682, at his own castle of Bernouille, near
Guise. His memoirs are written with boldness and truth;
contain many remarkable occurrences, in which he was
personally concerned; and conclude with some very useful
military instructions.
rchitect, was born in 1652, in Beurn, descended from the ancient house of Elisagaray in Navarre. The count de Vermandois, admiral of France, engaged his services in 1679,
, an able naval
architect, was born in 1652, in Beurn, descended from the
ancient house of Elisagaray in Navarre. The count de
Vermandois, admiral of France, engaged his services in
1679, by a pension of a thousand crowns; and his opinion
concerning the construction of ships was preferred to that
of M. Duguesne, even by that gentleman himself. In
consequence of this, Renau received orders to visit Brest
and the other ports, that he might instruct the ship-builders, whose sons of fifteen or twenty years old he taught
to build the largest ships, which had till then required the
experience of twenty or thirty years. Having advised the
bombardment of Algiers in 1680, he invented bomb-boats
for that expedition, and the undertaking succeeded. After
the admiral’s decease, M. Vauban placed M. Renau in a
situation to conduct the sieges of Cadaquiers in Catalonia,
of Philipsburg, Manheim, and Frankendal. In the midst
of this tumultuous life he wrote his “Theorie de la manoeuvre des Vaisseaux,
” which was published
adopt this plan, which, as the author explains it, differs very much from what has been proposed by Count de Caylus, Cochin, Bachelier, Muntz, and others. The abbe Requeno
, a learned Spanish Jesuit, was
born in Grenada about 1730. After a liberal education, in
which he made great proficiency in philosophy and mathematics, and discovered much taste for the fine arts, he
retired to Italy on the expulsion of his order. In 1782 he
sent to the society opened in Madrid for the fine arts, a
memoir which gained the first prize; and in 1788 he carried off the prize proposed by the academy of Seville.
These two memoirs, which were printed in 1789, at Seville,
met with the approbation of all the foreign literary journals.
He had already obtained considerable fame on the continent from his elaborate work, printed at Seville in 1766,
on the “Roman Antiquities in Spain,
” and had contributed
very much to Masdeu’s critical and literary history of Spain,
printed in 1781, &c. But perhaps he is best known to
artists and men of taste, by his “Saggi sul ristabilimento
clelP antica arte de‘ Greci, e de’ Romani Pittori,
” vol. I.
Venice,
er, was born at Laval, in the province of Perche, about 1571. He wa* brought up in the family of the count de Laval, and for. some time followed the military profession,
, a learned French writer, was born
at Laval, in the province of Perche, about 1571. He wa*
brought up in the family of the count de Laval, and for.
some time followed the military profession, serving in Italy
and in Holland. In 1603, Henry IV. appointed him one
of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber. In 1605 he entered
into tSie service of the emperor against the Turks: but ori
his return he devoted himself to literary and scientific studies and in 1611 he was appointed preceptor to the young
king, Lewis XIII. with a pension of 3000 livres, and the
title of counsellor of state. An insult he received from his
royal pupil obliged him to quit his office for some time.
The king had a favourite dog, who was perpetually jumping on Rivault during his giving lessons, and Rivault one
day gave him a kick. The king was so incensed as to strike
Riv'lult, who retired; but it appears they were soon reconciled, and by the king’s orders Rivault accompanied ma*
dame Elizabeth of France as far as Bayonne, on her way
to be married to the king of Spain. On his return from
that voyage he died at Tours, Jan. 1616, about the age of
forty-five. He is spoken of with high esteem by several
of the most celebrated writers of his time, particularly by
Casaubon, Scaliger, Vossius, Erpenius, and Menage. His
works consist of, 1. “Les Etats,
” or “The States, or a
discourse concerning the privileges of the prince, the nobles, and the Third Estate, &c.
” 2. “Les Elemens d'Artillerie,
” Paris, Archimedis Opera quae extant, Gr. et Lat. novis detnonstrationibus illdstrata,
” &c. Paris,
ome to Scotland about 1564, when, according to most accounts, he was neither young nor handsome. The count de Merezzo brought him hither in his suite, as ambassador from
, a musician of the sixteenth century, whose misconduct or misfortunes have obtained him a place in the history of Scotland, was born at
Turin, but brought up in France. His father was a musician and dancing-master, and the son probably possessed
those talents which served to amuse a courtly circle. He
appears to have come to Scotland about 1564, when, according to most accounts, he was neither young nor handsome. The count de Merezzo brought him hither in his
suite, as ambassador from Savoy to the court of the unfortunate queen Mary. Sir James Melvil, in his “Memoirs,
”
tells us that “the queen had three valets of her chamber
who sung in three parts, and wanted a base to sing the
fourth part; therefore, telling her majesty of this man,
Rizzio, as one fit to make the fourth in concert, he was
drawn in sometimes to sing with the rest.
” He quickly,
however, crept into the queen’s favour; and her French
secretary happening at that time to return to his own country, Rizzio was preferred by her majesty to that office.
He began to make a figure at court, and to appear as a
man of weight and consequence. Nor was he careful to
abate that envy which always attends such an extraordinary
and rapid change of fortune. On the contrary, he seems
to have done every thing to increase it; yet it was not his
exorbitant power alone which exasperated the Scots; they
considered him as a dangerous enemy to the protestant religion, and believed that he held for this purpose a constant correspondence with the court of Rome. His prevalence, however, was very short-lived; for, in 1566, certain nobles, with lord Darnly at their head, conspired
against him, and dispatched him in the queen’s presence
with fifty-six wounds. The consequences of this murder
to the queen and to the nation are amply detailed in Scotch
history, and have been the subject of a very fertile controversy.
urgh; but his great triumph was on the 12th of April, 1782, in an engagement in the West Indies with count de Grasse. This battle was fought among the islands of Guadaloupe,
Before this event the French had united with the Americans in a war against this country, and about the close of 1779, the chief command of the Leeward islands was given to sir George Rodney, upon which he hoisted his flag on board the Sandwich. From this time he was very successful against his majesty’s enemies, but our limits do not allow us to particularize all the advantages that resulted from his services during the remainder of the war of which we are speaking. In the first year he had done enough to obtain a vote of thanks from the House of Lords, and the freedom of the cities of London and Edinburgh; but his great triumph was on the 12th of April, 1782, in an engagement in the West Indies with count de Grasse. This battle was fought among the islands of Guadaloupe, Dominique, the Saintes, and Marigalante. As soon as the day broke admiral Rodney threw out the signal for close action, and every vessel obeyed it most scrupulously. The British line was formed at the distance of one cable’s length between each ship. As the ships came up separately, they ranged close alongside their opponents, passing along the enemy for that purpose, giving and receiving, while thus taking their stations, a most dreadful and tremendous fire. The action continued in this manner till noon, when admiral Rodney resolved to carry into execution a manoeuvre which he expected would gain him a complete and decisive victory: for this purpose, in his own ship, the Formidable, supported by the Namur, the Duke, and the Canada, he bore down with all the sail set on the enemy’s line, within three ships of the centre, and succeeded in breaking through it in a most masterly style. As soon as he had accomplished this, the other ships of his division followed him, and they all wore round, doubled on the enemy, and thus they placed between two fires those vessels which, by the first part of the manoeuvre, they had cut off from the rest of the fleet. As soon as admiral Rodney and the vessels which followed him, wore, he made the signal for the van to tack, by which means they gained the windward of the French, and completed the disorder and confusion in which the breaking of the line had thrown them. One consequence of the breaking of the line was, that opportunities were given for desperate actions between single ships. The whole loss of the enemy on this occasion amounted to eight ships; one had been sunk, and another blown up after she had been taken, and six ships remained in possession of the conquerors. It was esteemed remarkably fortunate, and glorious for the victors, that de Grasse’s ship, the Ville de Paris, was the only first rate man-of-war that had ever, at that time, been taken and carried into port by any commander of any nation. And this ship was on the present occasion fought so well, that when it struck there were but three men left alive and unhurt on the upper deck.
e the opinion of most French writers. He now withdrew to Switzerland, where he found a lector in the count de Luc, the French ambassador to the* Helvetic body; who carried
, a celebrated French poet,
was born at Paris in 1669: he was the son of a shoe-maker,
who, however, being a man of substance, gave him a good
education; and Rousseau soon shewed himself worthy of
it. He discovered early a turn for poetry; and, at twenty,
was distinguished for some little productions, full of elegance, taste, and spirit. In 1688 he attended M. de Bonrepos as page in his embassy to the court of Denmark; and
passed thence to England with marshal Tallard in quality
of secretary. Yet, he had so little of avarice and ambition
in his nature, that he never conceived the notion of n^aking a fortune; and actually refused some places which his
friends had procured for him. In 1701 he was admitted
into the academy of inscriptions and belles lettres. He
had now obtained the reputation of a poet of the first rank,
expected a place in the French academy, and was in hopes
of obtaining Boileau’s pension, which was about to ba vacant, when an affair broke out which obliged him to quit
his country, and embittered his whole life afterwards.
Some verses full of reflections, and of a very exceptionable
nature, were produced as Rousseau’s. Rousseau denied
that they were his, and maintained them to be forgeries,
contrived for his ruin by those who envied and hated him.
He was tried in form; and, by an arrest of parliament in
1712, banished the kingdom for ever. Voltaire, who certainly has not shewn himself well affected to this poet, yet
expresses himself thus upon the affair of his banishment
“Those couplets, which were the cause of his banishment,
and are like several which he owned, must either be imputed to him, or the two tribunals, which pronounced
sentence upon him, must be dishonoured. Not that two
tribunals, and even more numerous bodies, may not unanimously commit very great acts of injustice when a spirit of
party prevails. There was a violent party against Rousseau.
” The truth, however, is, that Rousseau was the
author, although he denied it, and the probability is, that
the tribunal before which he was tried had proof of this;
such at least seems to be the opinion of most French writers.
He now withdrew to Switzerland, where he found a
lector in the count de Luc, the French ambassador to the*
Helvetic body; who carried him to Baden, and introduced
him to prince Eugene, who was there. He continued with
the prince till the conclusion of the peace at Baden; and
then accompanying him to Vienna, was introduced by hiril
to the emperor’s court. He continued here three years, at
the end of which he might have returned to his own country, some powerful friends offering to procure letters of
grace for recalling him; but he answered, “that it did not
become a man, unjustly oppressed, to seal an ignominious
sentence by accepting such terms; and that letters of gracd
might do well enough for those that wanted them, but certainly not for him who only desired justice.
” He was afterwards at Brussels, and in 1721 went over to London,
where he printed, in a very elegant manner, a collection
of his poems, in 2 vols. 4to. The profits hence arising
put his finances into good condition; but, placing his money with the emperor’s company at Ostend, which failed
soon after, he was reduced to the necessity of relying upon
private benefactions. The duke of Aremberg gave him the
privilege of his table at Brussels; and, when this nobleman was obliged to go to the army in Germany in 1733, he
settled on him a handsome pension, and assigned him an.
apartment in his castle of Euguien near Brussels. Rousseau, losing afterwards the good graces of the duke of
Aremberg, as he had before lost those of prince Eugene,
for he does not seem to have been happily formed for dependence, listened at length to proposals of returning to
France, and for that purpose went incognito to Paris in
1739. He stayed there some little time; but, finding his
affairs in no promising train, set out for Brussels. He continued some time at the Hague, where he was seized with
an apoplexy; but recovered so far as to be removed to Brussels, where he finished his unfortunate life, March 17, 1741.
He now declared upon his death-bed, as he had declared
to Rollin at Paris a little before, that he was not the author of the verses which occasioned his banishment.
ving been that of a woman of wit and sense, her death being that of a sage. Her heir and nephew, the count de la Roque, gave him 30 livres and his new cloaths; but, on
, an eccentric genius of our
own times, has enabled us to give an account of him by a
publication which himself left behind him, under the title
of “Les Confessions de J. J. Rousseau, suivies des Reveries
du Promeneur Solitaire,
” Geneve, born almost dying,
” but was preserved and reared by the tenderness of an
aunt (his father’s sister). He remembers not how he learned
to read, but only recollects that his first studies were some
romances left by his mother, which engaged his father, as
well as himself, whole nights, and gave him a very early
knowledge of the passions, and also wild and romantic
notions of human life. The romances ended with the summer of 1719. Better books succeeded, furnished by the
library of his mother’s father, viz. “Le Sueur’s History of
the Church and the Empire;
” “Bossuet’s Discourses on
Universal History;
” “Plutarch’s Lives;
” ' Nani’s History
of Venice;“”Ovid’s Metamorphoses;“”La Bruyere;“
”Fontenelle’s Worlds, and Dialogues of the Dead“and
some volumes of
” Moliere.“Of these
” Plutarch“were
his favourite; and he soon preferred Agesilaus, Brutus,
and Aristides, to Oroondates, Artamenes, aud Juba; and
to these lives, and the conversations that they occasioned
with his father, he imputes that free and republican spirit,
that fierce and intractable character, which ever after was
his torment. His brother, who was seven years older, and
followed his father’s business, being neglected in his education, behaved so ill, and was so incorrigible, that he fled
into Germany, and was never heard of afterwards. On the
contrary, the utmost attention was bestowed on John James,
and he was almost idolized by all. Yet he had (he owns)
all the faults of his age he was a prater, a glutton, and
sometimes a liar; he stole fruit, sweetmeats, and victuals
but he never delighted in being mischievous or wasteful, hi
accusing others, or in tormenting poor animals. He re^
Jates, however, an indelicate trick he played one Madame
Clot while she was at prayers, which still, he says, diverts
him, because
” she was the most fretful old woman he ever
knew.“His
” taste, or rather passion, for music“he owed
to his aunt Susan, who sang most sweetly; and he paints
her in most pleasing colours. A dispute, which his father
had with a French captain obliging him to quit Geneva,
our author was left under the care of his uncle Bernard, then
employed on the fortifications, who having a son of the
same age, these cousins were boarded together at Bossey,
at M. Lambercier’s, a clergyman, to learn Latin, and other
branches of education. In this village he passed two happy years, and formed an affectionate friendship with his
cousin Bernard. A slight offence, the breaking the teeth
of a comb, with which he was charged, but denied it, and
of which now, fifty years after, he avows his innocence, bub
for which he was severely punished, and a like chastisement, which, for a like offence, was also unjustly inflicted
on his cousin, gave both at last a distaste for this paradise,
and great pleasure in being removed from it. This incident made a deep and lasting impression upon him, as did
another about planting a willow and a walnut tree, for which
we must refer to his own account. At his return to Geneva he continued two or three years wiih his uncle, losing
his time, it not being determined whether he should be a
watch-maker, an attorney, or a minister. To the last he
was most inclined, but that the small remains of his
mother’s fortune would not admit. In the mean time he learned to draw, for which he had a taste, and read
” Euclid’s
Elements“withes Cousin. Thus they led an idle, but not
a vicious life, making cages, flutes, shuttle-cocks, drums,
houses, cross-bows, and puppets, imitating Punch, acting
plays, and at last makiog sermons. He often visited his
father, wlxo was then settled at Nion, a small town in the
country of Vaud, and there he recounts two amours (as he calls them) that he had, at the age of eleven, with two
grown misses, whom he archly describes. At last he
was placed with M. Massiron, register of the city, to
learn his business; but, being by him soon dismissed
for his stupidity, he was bound apprentice, not, however, to a watch-maker, but to an engraver, a brutal
wretch, who not only treated him most inhumanly, but
taught him to lie, to be idle, and to steal. Of the latter
he gives some instances. In his sixteenth year, having
twice on a Sunday been locked out of the city-gates, and
being severely threatened by his master if he stayed out a
third time, by an unlucky circumstance this event happening, he swore never to return again, sending word privately
to his cousin Bernard of what he proposed, and where he
might once more see him; which he did, not to dissuade
him, but to make him some presents. They then parted
with tears, but never met or corresponded more,
” which
was a pity, as they were made to love each other.“After
making some reflections on what would have been his fate
if he had fallen into the hands of a better master, he informs us that at Consignon, in Savoy, two leagues from Geneva, he had the curiosity to see the rector, M. de Pontverre,
a name famous in their history, and accordingly went to visit
him, and was well received, and regaled with such a good dinner as prevented hisreplyingto his host’s arguments in favour
of holy mother Church, and against the heresy of Geneva.
Instead of sending him back to his family, this devout
priest endeavoured to convert him, and recommended him
to mad. de Warens, a good charitable lady, lately converted, at Annecy, who had quitted her husband, her family, her country, and her religion, for a pension of 1500
Piedmontese livres, allowed her by the King of Sardinia.
He arrived at Annecy on Palm- Sunday, 1728 and saw madam de Warens. This epoch of his life determined his
character. He was then in the middle of his 16th year;
though not handsome, he was well made, had black hair,
and small sparkling eyes, &c. charms, of which, unluckily,
he was not unconscious. The lady too, who was then 28,
he describes as being highly agreeable and engaging, and
having many personal charms, although her size was small,
and her stature short. Being told she was just gone to the
Cordeliers church, he overtook her at the door, was struck
with her appearance, so different from that of the old
crabbed devotee which he had imagined, and was instantly
proselyted to her religion. He gave her a letter from M.
de Pontverre, to which he added one of his own. She
glanced at the former, but read the latter, and would have
read it again, if her servant had not reminded her of its
being church-time. She then bade John James go to her
house, ask for some breakfast, and wait her return from
mass. Her accomplishments he paints in brilliant colours;
considers her as a good Catholic; and, in short, at first
sight, was inspired by her with the strongest attachment,
and the utmost confidence. She kept him to dinner, and
then inquiring his circumstances, urged him to go to
Turin, where, in a seminary for the instruction of catechumens, he might be maintained till his conversion was accomplished; and engaged also to prevail on M. de Bernet,
the titular bishop of Geneva, to contribute largely to the
expence of his journey. This promise she performed. He
gave his consent, being desirous of seeing the capital, and
of climbing the Alps. She also reinforced his purse, gave
him privately ample instructions; and, entrusting him to
the care of a countryman and his wife, they parted on AshWednesday. The day after, his father
” came in quest of
him, accompanied by his friend M. Rixal, a watch-maker,
like himself, and a good poet. They visited madam de
Warens, but only lamented with her, instead of pursuing
and overtaking him, which they might, they being on
horseback, and he on foot. His brother had been lost by
a like negligence. Having some independent fortune
from their mother, it seemed as if their father connived at
their flight in order to secure it to himself, an idea which
gave our author great uneasiness. After a pleasantjourney
with his two companions, he arrived at Turin, but without
money, cloaths, or linen. His letters of recommendation
admitted him into the seminary; a course of life, and a
mode of instruction, with which he was soon disgusted. In
two months, however, he made his abjuration, was baptized
Ht the cathedral, absolved of h f eresy by the inquisitor^ and
then dismissed, with about 20 livres in his pocket; thus, at
once, made an apostate and a dupe, with all his hopes in
an instant annulled. After traversing the streets, and
viewing the buildings, he took at night a mean lodging,
where he continued some days. To the king’s chapel, in
particular, he was frequently allured by his taste for music,
which then began to discover itself. His purse, at last,
being almost exhausted, he looked out for employment,
and at last found it, as an engraver of plate, by means of a
young woman, madame Basile, whose husband, a goldsmith, was abroad, and had left her under the care of a
clerk, or an jEgisthus, as Rousseau styles him. Nothing, he
declares, but what was innocent, passed betwixt him and
this lady, though her charms made great impression on
him; and soon after, her husband returning, and finding
him at dinner with her confessor, the clerk, &c. immediately dismissed him the house. His landlady, a soldier’s wife,
after this procured him the place of footman to the countess
dowager of Vercullis, whose livery he wore; but his business was to write the letters which she dictated, a cancer
in her breast preventing her writing them herself; letters,
he says, equal to those of madam de Sevigne. This service
terminated, in three months, with his lady’s death, who left
him nothing, though she had great curiosity to know his
history, and to read his letters to madam de Warens. He
saw her expire with many tears her life having been that
of a woman of wit and sense, her death being that of a
sage. Her heir and nephew, the count de la Roque,
gave him 30 livres and his new cloaths; but, on leaving
this service, he committed, he owns, a diabolical action, by
falsely accusing Marion, the cook, of giving him a rosecoloured silver ribbon belonging to one of the chambermaids, which was found upon him, and which he himself
had stolen. This crime, which was an insupportable load
on his conscience, he says, all his life after, and which he
never avowed before, not even to Madam de Warens, was
one principal inducement to his writing his “Confessions,
”
and he hopes, “has been expiated by his subsequent misfortunes, and by forty years of rectitude and honour in the
most difficult situations.
” On leaving this service, he returned to his lodgings, and, among other acquaintances
that he had made, often visited M. Gaime, a Savoyard abbé,
the original of the “Savoyard Vicar,
” to whose virtuous
and religious instructions, he professes the highest
obligations. The count de la Roque, though he neglected to call
upon him, procured him, however, a place with the count
de Gouvon, an equerry to the queen, where he lived much
at his ease, and out of livery. Though happy in this family, being favoured by all, frequently waiting on the
count’s beautiful grand -daughter, honoured with lessons by
the abbe“, his younger son, and having reason to expect an
establishment in the train of his eldest son, ambassador to
Venice, he absurdly relinquished all this by obliging the
count to dismiss him for his attachment to one of his countrymen, named Bacle, who inveigled him to accompany
him in his way back to Geneva; and an artificial fountain,
which the abbe* de Gouvon had given him, helped, as their
purse was light, to maintain them till it broke. At Annecy
he parted with his companion, and hastened to madam de
Warens, who, instead of reproaching, lodged him in her
best chamber, and
” Little One“(Petit) was his name, and
” Mama“hers. There he lived most happily and innocently, he declares, till a relation of
” Mama,“a M. d'Aubonne, suggested that John-James was fit for nothing but
the priesthood, but first advised his completing his education by learning Latin. To this the bishop not only consented, but gave him a pension. Reluctantly he obeyed,
carrying to the seminary of St. Lazarus no book but Clerambault’s cantatas, learning nothing there but one of his
airs, and therefore being soon dismissed for his insufficiency. Yet madam de Warens did not abandon him. His
taste for music then made them think of his being a musician, and boarding for that purpose with M. le Maitre, the
organist of the cathedral, who lived near
” Mama,“and
presided at her weekly concerts. There he continued for
a year, but his passion for her prevented his learning even
music. Le Maitre, disgusted with the Chapter, and determined to leave them, was accompanied in his flight, as
far as Lyons, by John-James; but, being subject to fits,
and attacked by one of them in the streets, he was deserted
in distress by his faithless friend, who turned the corner,
and left him. This is his third painful
” Confession.“He
instantly returned to Annecy and
” Mama; but she, alas!
was gone to Paris. After this, he informs us of the many
girls that were enamoured of him: of his journey with one
of them, on foot, to Fribourg; of his visiting his father, in
his way, at Nion; and of his great distress at Lausanne,
which reduced him to the expedient of teaching music,
which he knew not, saying he was of Paris, where he had
never been, and changing his name to Voussore, the anagram of Rousseau. But here his ignorance and his imprudence exposed him to public shame, by his attempting
what he could not execute. Being thus discomfited, and
unable to subsist at Lausanne, he removed to Neufchatel,
where he passed the winter. There he succeeded better,
and, at length, by teaching music, insensibly learned it.
a, where he laid the foundation of his “Flora” and “Entomologia Carniolica.” In 1754- he accompanied count de Firmian, prince bishop, and afterwards cardinal, to Gratz,
, an eminent naturalist, was
born in 1725, at Cavalese, in the bishopric of Trent. He
studied at Inspruck, and at twenty years old obtained the
degree of licentiate in medicine, and afterwards was intrusted with the care of the hospitals of Trent, and of hi*
native town Cavalese; but as this stage was too small for his
ambition, he requested that his parents would permit him
to go to Venice. In that city, under the auspices of Lo
taria Lotti, he extended his knowledge of medicine, and
added to it a more intimate acquaintance with pharmacy,
botany, and natural history. On his return he traversed
the mountains of Tirol and Carniola, where he laid the
foundation of his “Flora
” and “Entomologia Carniolica.
”
In Anni tres Historico-naturales,
”
ch station he remained many years, until obliged to quit her service, for opposing her marriage with count de Lauzun. He immediately found a new patroness in Mad. de la
, a French poet, was born
at Caen in 1624, and first studied in the college of the
Jesuits there. As he grew up, he applied himself to
French poetry, and was so successful as to be enabled to
rescue himself, four brothers, and two sisters, from the
unhappy circumstances in which the extravagance of a
father had left them. In his twentieth year he met with a
patron who introduced him to Mad. de Montpensier, and
this lady appointed him her gentleman in ordinary, in
which station he remained many years, until obliged to
quit her service, for opposing her marriage with count de
Lauzun. He immediately found a new patroness in Mad.
de la Fayette, who admitted him into her house, and assigned him apartments. Her he assisted in her two romances, “The princess of Cleves
” and “Zaida.
” After
seven years, he retired to his own country, with a resolution to spend the rest of his days in solitude; and there
married his cousin, a rich heiress, about 1679. Mad. de
Maintenon invited him to court, as tutor to the duke of
Maine: buthedid notchooseto exchange theindependenceof
a retired life for the precarious favours of a court, and therefore continued where he was. He was admitted of the
French academy in 1662; and was the means of re-establishing that of Caen. He died at this place, of a dropsy,
in 1701. He was very deaf in the last years of his life, bufe
was much courted for the sake of his conversation, which
was replete with such anecdotes as the polite world had
furnished him with. A great number of these are to be
found in the “Segraisiana;
” which was published many
years after his death, with a preface by Mr. de la Monnoye; the best edition of it is that of Amsterdam, 1723,
12mo.
fel, near Cologne, Oct. 1, 1507. He was initiated in letters in his native country, with the sons of count de Manderscheid, whose receiver his father was, and afterwards
, the Cicero of Germany, if we may
use the terms of Melchior Adam, was born at Sleida in
Eiffel, near Cologne, Oct. 1, 1507. He was initiated in
letters in his native country, with the sons of count de
Manderscheid, whose receiver his father was, and afterwards studied at Liege in the college of St. Jerome. In
1524, he went to Louvain, where ne sp.-Mit five years, three
in learning, and two in teaching; an 1 had for his fellowstudents, Sleidan, Vesalius, and some others, who afterwards became men of eminence, a:vi had a great esteem
for him. He set up a printing-press with Rudger Rescins,
professor of Greek, and printed several Greek authors. He
began with Homer, and soon after carried those editions to
Pans, in 1529, where he made himself highly esteemed,
and read public lectures upon the Greek and Latin writers, and upon logic. He married also there, and kept a
great number of boarders, who came from England, Germany, and Italy, and were the sous of considerable families;
but as he had imbibed the principles of the reformation, he
was more than once in danger; which, undoubtedly, was
the reason why he removed to Strasburg in 1537. in order
to take possession of the place offered him by the magistrates. The year following he opened a school, which became famous, and by his means obtained from the emperor
Maximilian II. the title of an university in 1566. He was
very well skilled in polite literature, wrote Latin with great
purity, and understood the method of teaching; and it was
owing to him, that the college of Strasburg, of which he
was perpetual rector, became the most flourishing in all
Germany. His talents were not confined to the schools;
he was frequently entrusted with several deputations in
Germany and foreign countries, and discharged those employments with great honour and diligence. He shewed
extreme charity to the refugees who fled on account of religion: he was not satisfied with labouring to assist them by
his advice and recommendations, but even impoverished
himself by his great hospitality towards them. His life,
however, was exposed to many troubles, which he owed
chiefly to the intolerance of the Lutheran ministers. At
Strasburg he formed a moderate Lutheranism, to which he
submitted without reluctance, though he was of Zuinglius’s
opinion, and afterwards declared himself for Calvinism, and
was in consequence, in 1583, deprived of the rectorship of
the university. He died March 3, 1589, aged above eighty.
He had been thrice married, but left no children. Though
he lost his sight some time before his death, yet he did not
discontinue his labours for the public good. He published
a great number of books, chiefly on subjects of philosophy.
Having when at Paris studied medicine, he published in
1531, an edition of Galen’s works, fol. Among his other
works, are, 1. “De Literarum ludis recte aperiendis liber,
” Variorum auctorum consilia, &c.
” Morhoff
praises this work very highly. 2. “In partitiones Oratorias
Ciceronis libri duo,
” Argent. Beati Rhenani vita,
” prefixed to that author’s
“Rerum Germanicarum libri tres,
” Basil, Ciceronis Opera omnia,
” Strasb. Aristotelis Rheticorum libri tres,
” Gr. and Lat. with
scholia, &c. Anti-Pappi tres contra Joannis
Pappi charitatem et condemnationem Christianam.
”
sor at Cambridge. In the same; year Taylor conducted a controversy, in a correspondence with Raymond count de Montmort, respecting the tenets of Malbranche, which occasioned
His distinguished abilities as a mathematician had now
recommended him particularly to the esteem of the Royal
Society, who, in 1714, elected him to the office of secretary. In the same year, he took the degree of doctor of
laws, at Cambridge. In 1715, he published his “Methodus incrementorum,
” and a curious essay in the Philosophical Transactions, entitled, “An Account of an Experiment for the Discovery of the Laws of Magnetic Attraction;
” and, besides these, his celebrated work on perspective, entitled “New Principles of Linear Perspective: or
the art of designing, on a plane, the representations of all
sorts of objects, in a more general and simple method than
has hitherto been done.' 7 This work has gone through several editions, and received some improvements from Mr.
Colson, Lucasian professor at Cambridge. In the same;
year Taylor conducted a controversy, in a correspondence
with Raymond count de Montmort, respecting the tenets
of Malbranche, which occasioned him to be noticed afterwards in the eulogium pronounced on that celebrated metaphysician. In 1716, by invitation from several learned
men, to whom his merits were well known, Dr. Taylor
visited Paris, where he was received with every mark of
respect and distinction. Early in 1717, he returned to London, and composed three treatises, which are in the thirtieth volume of the Philosophical Transactions. But his
health having been impaired by intense application, he was
now advised to go to Aix-la-chapelle, and resigned his
office of secretary to the Royal Society. After his return
to England in 1719, it appears that he applied his mind to
studies of a religious nature, the result of which were found
in some dissertations preserved among his papers,
” On
the Jewish Sacrifices,' 7 &c. He did not, however, neglect
his former pursuits, but amused himself with drawing, improved his treatise on linear perspective, and wrote a defence of it against the attacks of J. Bernoulli!, in a paper
which appears in the thirtieth volume of the Philosophical
Transactions, Bernouilli objected to the work as too abstruse, and denied the author the merit of inventing his system. It is indeed acknowledged, that though Dr. B. Taylor discovered it for himself, he was not the first who had
trod the same path, as it had been done by Guido Ubaldi,
in a book on perspective, published at Pesaro in 1600. The
abstruseness of his work has been obviated by another author, in a work entitled, “Dr. Brook Taylor’s method of
Perspective made easy, both in theory and practice, &c.
by Joshua Kirby, painter;
” and this publication has continued to be the manual both of artists and dilettanti. Towards the end of 1720, Dr. Taylor visited lord Bolingbroke,
near Orleans, hut returned the next year, and published
his last paper in the Philosophical Transactions, which described, “An Experiment made to ascertain the Proportion of Expansion in the Thermometer, with regard to the
Degree of Heat.
”
gainst you. They belonged to the royal regiment Deux-ponts, sent to America under the command of the count de Rochambeau."
On quitting England in the month of September 1783,
he landed at Boulogne, along wiih the celebrated Gibbon,
who describes him by three epithets which shew how
quickly he had been able to appreciate him. He calls
him “the soldier, philosopher, statesman, Thompson.
” He
afterwards arrived at Strasburg, where the prince Maximilian de Deux- Fonts, now elector of Bavaria, then mareschal du camp in the service of France, was in garrison.
That prince, commanding the parade, discovered among
the spectators an officer in a foreign uniform, mounted on
a fine English horse, and accosted him; Thompson informed
him that he had just been employed in the American war;
the prince, pointing out to him several officers who surrounded him, ' These gentlemen,“said he,
” served in the
same war, but against you. They belonged to the royal
regiment Deux-ponts, sent to America under the command
of the count de Rochambeau."
blank verse, entitled” La Sylvaniere,“8vo, and some” Sonnets.“Anne d'Urfe”, his eldest brother, was count de Lyon, lived in a very exemplary manner, and died 1621, aged
, a writer of romances, was born
February 11, 1567, at Marseilles, and was descended from
an illustrious house of Forez, originally of Suabia. He was
educated among the Jesuits, and sent to Malta, but returned
to Forez. In 1574 Anne d'Urfé, his brother, married Diana de Chateau-Morancl, a rich lady, sole heiress of that
bouse; but having procured his marriage to be declared
null in 1596, he took the ecclesiastical habit, and Honore“d'Urfe, whose interest it was to keep Diana’s very large fortune in his own family, married her, about 1601. Their
union did not however prove happy, for the lady, then
above forty, had rendered herself otherwise disgusting by
having her apartments always filled with great dogs, and as
she brought him no children, he left her, and retired to
Piedmont, where he died, 1625, aged fifty-eight. His principal work is a celebrated romance, entitled
” L' Astrée,“4 vols. 8vo, to which Baro, his secretary, added a fifth. It
was reprinted, 1733, 10 vols. 12mo, and was read throughout Europe at one time as the first work of the kind, and
was perhaps relished by some from the notion that it contained an account of the gallantries of Henry the Fourth 1 s
reign. His other works are: a poem, entitled
” La Sirene,“I6.ll, 8vo;
” Epitres morales,“1620, 12mo;
” La
Savoysiade,“a poem, of which only part is in print; a
pastoral in blank verse, entitled
” La Sylvaniere,“8vo, and
some
” Sonnets.“Anne d'Urfe
”, his eldest brother, was
count de Lyon, lived in a very exemplary manner, and
died 1621, aged sixty-six. He also was a literary man, and
has left “Sonnets,
” “Hymns,
” and other poetical pieces 5
1603, 4to.
ppointed tutor. Here he engaged in some literary schemes by which he got more money than reputation. Count de Welderen, however, having been appointed ambassador to England
, a man of letters, and one of
the first periodical essayists on the continent, was born at
Utrecht, April 21, 1684. He was the son of an officer,
who had no other fortune than a moderate pension, and as
he died before Justus had completed his studies, the latter
was left to provide as he could for his mother and a sister.
Some friends who took an interest in the family procured
him to be appointed tutor to the baron de Welderen’s son,
which placed him above want; but as he could not do so
much for his family as he wished, he had recourse to his
pen for a farther supply. His first publication was “Le
Misanthrope,
” a periodical paper in imitation of our
“Spectator,
” which he wrote in French, commencing May
1711, and continuing till December 17 12. In thi he had
great, and from what we have seen, deserved success. If
he falls short of his model in that delicate humour of Addison, which has never been equalled, he abounds in just
remarks on life and manners, evidently derived from extensive observation. Van Effen contrived to conceal himself
throughout the whole of this publication, of which a second
and improved edition was published at the Hague in 1726,
2 vols. 12mo, to which is added his “Journey to Sweden,
”
performed in Journal litteraire de la Haye,
” in which he had been engaged
before his departure. Having got into a literary quarrel
with Camusat, who had treated his “Misanthrope
” with
contempt, he was so much hurt as to be glad to embrace
the opportunity of going to Leyden with a young gentleman to whom he was appointed tutor. Here he engaged
in some literary schemes by which he got more money than
reputation. Count de Welderen, however, having been
appointed ambassador to England from the States General,
took Van Efien with him as secretary, and on his return
procured him the place of inspector of the magazines at
Bois-le-Duc, where he died Sept. 18, 1735-. Van Effen’s
works were numerous, but being almost all anonymous, it
is not easy to ascertain the whole. The following are said
to be the principal: 1. “Le Misanthrope,
” already noticed.
2. “Journal Litteraire,
” La Bagatelle, ou
Discours ironiques, ou Ton prete des sophistries ingenieux
au vice et a l'extravagance, pour en mieux faire sentir le
ridicule,
” Artist. Le nouveau Spectateur Francais,
” of which only twenty-eight numbers appeared; four
of them are employed on a critique on the works of Houdard
de la Motte, who thanked the author for his impartiality.
5. “The Dutch Spectator,
” in Dutch, Amst. 173J 1735,
12 vols. 8vo. 6. “Parallele d'Homere et de Chapelain,
”
Hague, Chef-d‘oeuvre d’un inconnu,
” i. e.
M. de Themiseuil de St. Hyacinthe. 7. Translations of
Robinson Crusoe, Swift’s Tale of a Tub, and some of Mandeville’s writings. 8. “Le Mentor moderne,
” a
translation of “The Guardian,
” except the political papers. 9.
“Histoire metallique des dix-sept Provinces de Pays-Bas,
”
translated from the Dutch of Van Loon, Hague, Les Petits
Maitres,
” a comedy; “Essai sur la maniere de trailer la
controverse;
” and a part of the “Journal historique, politique, et galante.
”
os. Autore Julio Ceesare Vanino, Philosopho, Theologo, ac Juris utriusque Doctore;” dedicated to the count de Castro, the protector of his family and his benefactor; and
It has been remarked that we have very few dates in the
biography of Vanini. We can only therefore say generally
that, after he had commenced his travels, he went through
part of Germany and the Low Countries, to Geneva, and
thence to Lyons; whence, having presumed to vent his
irreligious notions, under the pretext of teaching philosophy, he was obliged to fly. He passed over into England,
and in 1614 was at London, where he was imprisoned for
nine and forty days, “well prepared,
” says he, with that
air of devotion which runs through all his writings, “to receive the crown of martyrdom, which he longed for with all
the ardour imaginable.
” Being set at liberty, he repassed
the sea, and took the road to Italy. He first stopped at
Genoa, and undertook to teach youth; but, it being discovered that he had infused pernicious notions into their
minds, he was forced to abandon that city. He then returned to Lyons, where he endeavoured to gain the favour
of the ecclesiastics by a pretended confutation of Cardan
and other atheistical writers, in which he artfully contrived,
by the weakness of his arguments, to give his opponents
the advantage. This work was printed at Lyons, in 1615,
8vo, under the title of “Amphitheatrum eeternae Providentiae Divino-Magicum, Christiano-Physicum, necnon Astrologo-Catholicum, adversus veteres Philosophos Atheos,
Epicureos, Peripateticos, & Stoicos. Autore Julio Ceesare
Vanino, Philosopho, Theologo, ac Juris utriusque Doctore;
” dedicated to the count de Castro, the protector of
his family and his benefactor; and it so far imposed orVtbe
licensers of books, as to receive their approbation. But
Vanini being apprehensive that his artifice might be detected, went again into Italy; where being accused of reriving and propagating his former impieties, he returned
to France, and became a monk in the convent of Guienne,
a/nd from this he is said to have been banished for immorality. He then retired to Paris, where he endeavoured to
introduce himself to Robert Ubaldini, the pope’s nuncio;
and, in order to make his court to him and the clergy in
general, undertook to write an apology for the council of
Trent. He procured likewise several friends, and had access to the mareschal de Bassompierre, who made him his
chaplain, and gave him a pension of two hundred crowns.
Upon this account, he dedicated to him his “Dialogues,
”
which were printed at Paris in Julii Caesaris Vanini, Neapolitani, Theologi, Philosophi,
& Juris utriusque Doctoris, de admirandis Naturae Reginae
Deaeque Mortalium arcanis, libri quatuor.
” This work
likewise was printed with the king’s privilege, and the
approbation of three learned doctors, either from carelessness or ignorance. In his “Amphitheatrum
” he had taken
some pains to disguise his irreligion; but in these “Dialogues,
” his sentiments are too obvious, and notwithstanding their having escaped the censors of the press, the faculty of the Sorbonne soon discovered their tendency, and
condemned them to the flames. Finding himself now become generally obnoxious, and in consequence reduced to
poverty, he is said to have written to the pope, that, “If
he had not a good benefice soon bestowed upon him, he
would in three months’ time overturn the whole Christian
religion;
” but although it is not impossible that Vanini
might have written such a letter for the amusement of his
friends, it is scarcely credible that he should have sent it
to Rome. Whatevermay be in this, it is certain that he
quitted Paris in 1617, and returned to Toulouse; where
he soon infused his impious notions into the minds of his
scholars, in the course of his lectures on physic, philosophy, and divinity. This being discovered, he was prosecuted, and condemned to be burnt to death, which sentence was executed Feb. 19, 1619. Gramond, president of
the parliament of Toulouse, gives us the following account
of his death. “About the same time, Feb. 1619, by order
of the parliament of Toulouse, was condemned to death
Lucilio Vanini, who was esteemed an arch-heretic with
many persons, but whom I always looked upon as an
atheist. This wretch pretended to be a physician, but in
reality was no other than a seducer of youth. He laughed
at every thing sacred: he abominated the incarnation of
our Saviour, and denied the being of a God, ascribing all
things to chance. He adored nature, as the cause of all
beings: this was his principal error, whence all the rest were
derived; and he had the boldness to teach it with great
obstinacy at Toulouse. He gained many followers among
the younger sort, whose foible it is to be taken with any
thing that appears extraordinary and daring. Being cast
into prison, he pretended at first to be a catholic; and by
that means deferred his punishment. He was even just
going to be set at liberty, for want of sufficient proofs
against him, when Franconi, a man of birth and probity,
deposed, that Vanini had often, in his presence, denied
the existence of God, and scoffed at the mysteries of the
Christian religion. Vanini, being brought before the senate, and asked what his thoughts were concerning the
existence of a Gpd answered, that < he adored with the
church a God in three persons,‘ and that * Nature evidently demonstrated the being of a deity:’ and, seeing by
chance a straw on the ground, he took it up, and stretching
it forth, said to the judges, ‘ This straw obliges me to
confess that there is a God;’ and he proved afterwards very
amply, that God was the author and creator of all things,
nature being incapable of creating any thing. But all this
he said through vanity or fear, rather than an inward conviction; and, as the proofs against him were convincing,
he was by sentence of parliament condemned to die, after
they had spent six months in preparing things for a hearing.
I saw him in the dung-cart, continues Gramond, when he
was carried to execution, making sport with a friar, who
was allowed him in order to reclaim him from his obstinacy.
Vanini refused the assistance of the friar, and insulted even
our Saviour in these words, ‘ He sweated with weakness
and fear in going to suffer death, and I die undaunted.*
This profligate wretch had no reason to say that he died
undaunted: I saw him entirely dejected, and making a
very ill use of that philosophy of which he so much boasted.
At the time when he was going to be executed he had a
horrible and wild aspect; his mind was uneasy, and he
discovered in all his expressions the utmost anxiety; though
from time to time he cried out that he ’ died like a philosopher.' Before the fire was applied to the wood-pile, he
was ordered to put out his tongue, that it might be cut off;
which he refused to do; nor could the executioner take
hold of it but with pincers. There never was heard a more
dreadful shriek than he then gave; it was like the bellowing of an ox. His body was consumed in the flames, and
his ashes thrown into the air. I saw him in prison, and at
his execution; and likewise knew him before he was arrested. He had always abandoned himself to the gratification of his passions, and lived in a very irregular manner.
When his goods were seized there was found a great toad
alive in a large crystal bottle full of water. Whereupon he
was accused of witchcraft; but he answered, that that animal
being burned, was a sure antidote against all mortal and
pestilential diseases. While he was in prison he pretended
to be a catholic, and went often to the sacrament, but,
when he found there were no hopes of escaping, he threw
off the mask, and died as he had lived.
”
, count de Tressan, a lively French writer, was born at Mons, Nov. 4,
, count de Tressan, a lively French writer, was born at Mons, Nov. 4, 1705, of a noble family originally from Languedoc, one branch of which had been protestants, and fought on that side in the civil wars preceding the massacre. He came early in life to Paris, and attached himself to Voltaire and Fontenelle, who initiated him in the belles lettres, and in those principles which afterwards made him be ranked among the philosophers of France. He served afterwards in the French army, and attained the rank of lieutenant-general. In 1750 he was admitted a free associate of the French academy, and contributed a memoir on Electricity, a subject then not much known, and written with so much ability that it was supposed he might have acquired no small fame in pursuing scientific subjects. This, however, was not agreeable to his disposition. After the battle of Fontenoy, in 1741, in which he served as aide-de-camp to Louis XV. he went to the court of Stanislaus, king of Poland, at Luneville, where he recommended himself by the sprightliness of his temper, and by the freedom of his remarks, but at the same time made some enemies by his satirical and epigrammatic productions. On the death of Stanislaus, he retired from active life, and devoted his time to the composition of a variety of works, particularly romances. Some of which were however translations, and others abridgments. These fill 12 octavo volumes published in 1791. His translation of Ariosto seems to have done him most credit. A light, trifling spirit never deserted him, but still sported even in his grey-hairs, until death put a serious end to it, Oct. 31, 1782, in his seventy-seventh year. Almost up to this period he was abridging Amadis de Gaul, and writing tales of chivalry, after having begun his career with the grave and abstruse parts of science. While in this latter employment he was, in 1749, chosen a member of our Royal Society.
e present. While here, however, his principles became again suspected, and this reaching the ears of count de Bentheim, his great patron, in 1599, he ordered Vorstius
Having accepted this office, he acquired so much reputation in discharging the duties of it, that other universities became desirous of obtaining such a teacher, but he declined a change for the present. While here, however, his principles became again suspected, and this reaching the ears of count de Bentheim, his great patron, in 1599, he ordered Vorstius to clear himself immediately, by going to the university where he had received his doctor’s degree, and convincing them of his being orthodox. Accordingly Vorstius went to Heidelberg, where he gave an. account of his faith; and returned, cleared, to his abode. The faculty of divines admitted him to the kiss of peace, and gave him tesseram hospitalitatis (the mark or token of hospitality) after signifying to him, that he had been in the wrong to advance certain particulars which favoured the Socinians, and making him promise that he would thenceforward refrain from employing such phrases as might give occasion for suspicion. He also was forced to make a protestation that he abhorred Socinus’s opinions; and was very sorry the fire of youth had made him employ certain expressions, which seemed to favour that heretic, and clash with the doctrine of the protestant churches.
ng the truth, in a country where it had already taken root. However this be, he was induced to leave count de Bentheim, and go to Holland, where he found, or made innumerable
In 1605, he was appointed minister at Steinfurt, and he was also made president of the court for trying matrimonial causes, and was principal examiner of young candidates for the ministry. In consideration of these various employments, an extraordinary stipend was allowed. In 1610, he was invited to Leyden, to succeed the celebrated Arminius. This invitation was of the most flattering kind, being approved both by the States of Holland and by prince Maurice; yet his biographer is of opinion, that had he not been most strongly solicited by the chiefs of the Arminians he would never have embarked on so stormy a sea. He was beloved and honoured in Steinfurt; there he enjoyed the utmost tranquillity, and was in the highest reputation; and he doubtless foresaw that, in the state in which the controversies of Arminius and Gomarus were at that time, he should meet with great opposition in Holland. But he was tempted by the glory he should gain in supporting a party which was weakened by Arminius’s death. To this were added motives pretended to be drawn from conscience; for they represented to him, that he would one day be accountable for the ill use he should make of his talents, in case too great a fondness for ease should make him neglect so happy an opportunity of establishing the truth, in a country where it had already taken root. However this be, he was induced to leave count de Bentheim, and go to Holland, where he found, or made innumerable enemies.
r to their children; and, after continuing five years at Altorf, he was taken into the family of the count de Traun. He not only performed the office of an instructor
, a very learned German, was the son of a reputable tradesman, and born at Nuremberg in 1633. He was sent early to a school at Stockholm; whence he was taken at thirteen, and placed in the university of Altorf. The distinction, to which he there raised himself by his abilities and learning, recommended him to some nobility as a proper tutor to their children; and, after continuing five years at Altorf, he was taken into the family of the count de Traun. He not only performed the office of an instructor to the sons of this nobleman, but accompanied them in their travels to France, Spain, England, Holland, several parts of Germany, and Italy. He contracted an acquaintance with the learned wherever he went, and received honours from several universities: those of Turin and Padua admitted him into their body. In France, he experienced the liberality of Lewis XIV. and was received doctor of law, at Orleans, in June 1665. Several places would have detained him, but the love of his native country prevailed; and, after travelling for six years, he arrived at Nuremberg in 1667. He was immediately made professor of law and history in the university of Altorf; but, about eight years after, changed his professorship of history for that of the Oriental tongues. In 1676, Adolphus John, count Palatine of the Rhine, committed two sons to his care, and at the same time honoured him with the title of counsellor. The princes of Germany held him in high esteem; and the emperor himself admitted him to private conferences, in 1691, when he was at Vienna about business. In 1697, the town of Nuremberg gave him marks of their esteem, by adding to his titles that of doctor of canon law, and by committing the university-library to his care. He was twice married; the first time in 1667, the second in 1701. He died in 1706, aged seventy-two.
remarkable event of this earl’s life was a personal victory he gained in a tournament, over Anthony count de la Roche, called the bastard of Burgundy, natural son of
A remarkable event of this earl’s life was a personal victory he gained in a tournament, over Anthony count de la Roche, called the bastard of Burgundy, natural son of duke Philip the Good. This illustrious encounter was performed -in a solemn and most magnificent tilt held for that purpose in Smithfield. Our earl was the challenger; and from the date of the year, and the affinity of the person challenged, this ceremony was probably in honour of the afore-mentioned marriage of the lady Margaret, the king’s sister, with Charles the Hardy, last duke of Burgundy. Nothing, lord Orford observes (whose narrative we follow), could be better adapted to the humour of the age, and to the union of that hero and virago, than a single combat between two of their near relations. A long account of this affair is given in a note in the Biog. Brit. art. Caxton, vol. III. new edit. It may be sufficient for our purpose to say that Wydeville was victorious.
good opinion of the monarch; and, in 17S8, he published “A Defence of Frederic the Great against the count de Mirabeau” which, in 1790, was followed by “Fragments on Frederic
Dr. Zimmermann was unhappy in the fate of his children.
His amiable daughter, whom he most tenderly loved, fell
in,to a lingering malady soon after she left Lausanne: it
continued five years, and then carried her off. His son,
who, from his infancy, was troubled with an acrid humour,
after various vicissitudes of nervous affections, settled in
perfect idiotcy in which state he remained at his father’s
death. To alleviate these distresses^ a second marriage
properly occurred to the mind of his friends, and they chose
for him a most suitable companion, in the daughter of Dr.
de Berger, king’s physician at Lunenberg. This union
took place in 1782, and proyed the greatest charm and
support of all his remaining life. Jiis l.ady was thirty years
youngerthan he;but s,he perfectly Accommodated herself
to his taste, and induced him to cultivate society abroad
and at home more than he had hitherto done. About this
time he employed himself in completing his favourite work
on “Solitude,
” which, at the distance of thirty years
from the publication of the first essay on the subject, appeared in its new form in the years 178^ and 1786, in four
volumes. His ideas of solitude had probably been softened
by so long an intercourse with the world and as he now
defined it, “that state of the soul in which it abandons itself freely to its reflections,
” it was not necessary to become
either a monk or an anchorite, in orderto partake of its
benefits. Had it not been presented under such an accommodating form, a philosopher might have smiled at the
circumstance of a recommendation of solitude from a court
physician becoming t.he favourite wojrk of one of the most
splendid and ambitious of crowned jbeads. The empress
of Russia sent her express thanks to the author for the
pleasure which she had derived from the work, accompanied
with a magnificent present, and commenced with hjrri a
regular correspondence, which subsisted, with great freedom onher part, till 1792, when she suddenly dropped it.
She also gave him an invitation to settle at Petersburgh as
her first physician; and, on his declining the offer, she requested his recommendation of medical practitioners for
her towns and armies, and conferred on him the order of
Wladomir.
One of the most distinguished incidents of Zimmermann’s
life was the summons which he received to attend the great
Frederic in his last illness, in 1786. It was at once evident
that there was no room for the exercise of his medical
skill; but he improved the opportunity which he thus enjoyed of confidential intercourse with that illustrious character, whose mental faculties were pre-eminent to the last;
and 'he derived from it the materials of an interesting narrative which he afterwards published. The partiality of this
prince in his favour naturally disposed him to a reciprocal
good opinion of the monarch; and, in 17S8, he published
“A Defence of Frederic the Great against the count de
Mirabeau
” which, in Fragments
on Frederic the Great,
” in 3 vols. 12mo. All his publications relative to this king gave offence to many individuals,
and subjected him to severe criticism; which he felt with
more sensibility than was consistent with his peace of mind.
His religious and political opinions, likewise, in his latter
years, began to be in wide contradiction to the principles
that were assiduously propagated all over Europe; and this
added perpetual fuel to his irritability. The society of the
Illuminated, coalesced with that of Free-masons, rose about
this time in Germany, and excited the most violent commotions among men of letters and reflection. It was sup'posed to have in view nothing less than the abolition of
Christianity, and the subversion of all constituted authorities; and, while its partizans expected from it the most
beneficial reforms of every kind, its opponents dreaded
from it every mischief that could possibly happen to mankind. Zimmerrnann was among the first that took alarm
at this formidable accusation. His regard for religion and
social order, and, perhaps, his connexions with crowned
heads, made him see in the most obnoxious light all the
principles of the new philosophers. He attacked them
with vigour, formed counter associations with other men of
letters, and, at length, addressed to the emperor Leopold
a memoir, painting in the strongest colouring the pernicious maxims of the sect, and suggesting the means of
suppressing -it; means which are said to have depended
on the decisive interference of civil authority. Leopold,
who was well inclined to such measures, received his memoir very graciously, and sent him a letter and splendid
present in return; but his death, soon after, deprived the
cause of its most powerful protection. Ziminermann,
however, in conjunction with M. Hoffman of Vienna, who had
instituted a periodical work on the old principles, did not
relax in his zeal. They attacked, and were attacked in
turn; and Zimrnermann embroiled himself with the courts
of law by a paper published in Hoffman’s Journal, entitled
“The Baron de Knigge unmasked as an Illuminate, Democrat, and Seducer of the People.
” As this charge was
in part founded on a work not openly avowed by the baron,
3, prosecution was instituted against Zimmermann as a libeller, and he was unable to exculpate himself. This state
of warfare may well be imagined to have been extremely
unfriendly to an irritable system of nerves; and, the agitation of the doctor’s mind was further increased by his personal fears on the approach of the French towards the electorate of Hanover in 1794; and his mancer of expressing
his fears announced the greatest depression. “I saw
therein,
” says Tissot, “a mind whose springs began to
fail, and which dared no longer say, as it could have justly
done, `I carry every thing with me.‘ I neglected nothing in order to raise his spirits, and entreated him. to
come to me with his wife, to a country that was his own,
where he would have remained in the most perfect security,
and enjoyed all the sweets of peace and friendship. He
answered me in December, and one part of his letter resembled those of other times; but melancholy was still
more strongly marked, and the illness of his wife, which
he unfortunately thought more serious than it really was,
evidently oppressed him: he had been obliged to take
three days to write me details which at another time would
not have occupied him an hour, and he concluded his letter with, 1I conjure you, perhaps for the last time, &c.’
The idea that he should write no more to his friend (and unfortunately the event justified him), the difficulty of
writing a few pages, the still fixed idea of being forced to
leave Hanover,although the face of affairs had entirely
changed all, all indicated the loss I was about to sustain.
”
From the month of November he had lost his sleep, his
appetite, his strength, and became sensibly thinner; and
this stated of decline continued to increase. In January he
was still able to make a few visits in his carriage; but he
frequently fainted on the stairs: it was painful for him to
write a prescription: he sometimes complained of a confusion in his head, and he at length gave over all business.
This was at first taken for an effect of hypochondria, but
it was soon perceived, that his deep melancholy had destroyed the chain of his ideas. What has happened to so
many men of genius, befell him. One strong idea masters
every other, and subdues the mind that is no longer able
either to drive it away, or to lose sight of it. Preserving
all his presence of mind, all his perspicuity, and justness
of thought on other subjects, but no longer desirous of
occupying himself with them, no longer capable of any
business, nor of giving advice, but with pain^he had unceasingly before his eyes the enemy plundering his house,
as Pascal always saw a globe of fire near him, Bonnet his
friend robbing him, and Spinello the devil opposite to him,
In February he commenced taking medicines, which were
either prescribed by himself or by the physicians whom he
consulted; at the beginning of March he desired Tissot' s
advice; but he was no longer able himself to describe his
disorder, and his wife wrote Tissot the account of it. Tissot answered her immediately; but there could be no great
utility in the directions of an absent physician in a disorder
whose progress was rapid, and with an interim of near a
month between the advice asked, and the directions received. His health decayed so fast, that M. Wichman,
who attended him, thought a journey and change of air
would now be the best remedy. Eutin, a place in the
dutchy of Holstein, was fixed upon for his residence. Ingoing through Luneburgh on his way thither, M. Lentin,
one of the physicians Jn whom he placed most confidence,
was consulted; but Zimmermann, who, though so often
uneasy on account of health, had, notwithstanding, the
wisdom to take few medicines, and who did not like them,
always had a crowd of objections to make against the b.est
advice, and did nothing. Arrived at Eutin, an old acquaintance and his family lavished on him all the caresses
of friendship. This reception highly pleased him, and he
grew rather better. M. Hensler came from Kiel to see
him, and gave him his advice, which was probably very
good, but became useless, as it was very irregularly followed. At last, after a residence of three months, he desired to return to Hanover, where he entered his house
with the same idea with which he had left it; he thought
it plundered, and imagined himself totally ruined. Tissot
wrote to intreat him to go to Carlsbad;but he was no
longer capable of bearing the journey. Disgust, want of
sleep, and weakness, increased rapidly; he took scarcely
jftiy nourishment, either on account of insurmountable
Aversion, or because it was painful to him; or perhaps, as
M. Wichman believed, because he imagined he had not a
farthing left. Intense application, the troubles of his
mind, his pains, want of sleep, and of sufficient nourishment, had on him all the effects of time, and hastened old
age: at sixty -six he was in a state of complete decrepitude,
and his body was become a perfect skeleton. He clearly
foresaw the issue of his disorder: and above six weeks before his death be said to jthis same physician, “I shall die
slowly, but very pain fu)ly;
” and fourteen hours before he
expired, he said, “Leave me alone, I am dying.
” He expired Oct. 7, 1795. Most of the works mentioned above
have been translated into English, and that on solitude
particularly has acquired a considerable degree of popularity.
, count de, founder, or restorer of the sect of the Moravian brethren,
, count de, founder, or restorer of the sect of the Moravian brethren, was descended from an ancient and noble family in Austria; but directly sprung from that Lutheran branch of it which flourished in Misnia. He was born in 1700, and even in his childhood, had formed a resolution of becoming a minister of the gospel, designing to collects small society of Believers, who should altogether employ themselves in exercises of devotion, under his direction. Accordingly in 1721, when he became of age, he purchased the estate and village of Bertholsdorf, near Zittavv, in Upper Lusatia. Some time before this, in 1717, one Christian David visited the small remains of the church of the United Brethren, who had formed a society for religious exercises in a small village in Moravia, but finding their situation a precarious one, and them desirous of some more secure settlement, he recommended them to count Zinzendorf; and this scheme being perfectly compatible with the count’s original design, the Moravian emigrants were permitted to settle here.