, professor of philosophy in the college royal, member of the French academy
, professor of philosophy in the
college royal, member of the French academy and that of
inscriptions, honorary canon of Rheims, was born in that
diocese in 1713. He died at Paris the 14th of July 1780.
Grief at finding that the elementary books for the use of
the military school, the composition of which had been
entrusted to him by the government, did not succeed, accelerated, it is said, his death. This estimable scholar
was of a grave deportment, of a firm character without
moroseness; his conversation was solid and instructive,
the attainments of a man grown grey in the study of Greek
and Roman authors. We have by him, I. “Cours de
belles-lettres,
” Beaux-arts reduits a un meme principe,
” and iiis
tract “de la construction oratoire,
” which has been separately published. These books, more elaborate, more
methodical, more precise than the “Traite d'Etudes
” of
Rollin, are written with less elegance and purity. The
style is strongly tinctured with a metaphysical air, a stift'
and dry precision reigns through the whole, but a little
tempered by choice examples, with which the author has
embellished his lessons. He is likewise censurable, that
when he discusses certain pieces of the most eminent
French writers, for instance, the fables of Fontaine, the
rage for throwing himself into an estacy on all occasions,
makes him find beauties, where critics of a severer taste
have perceived defects. 2. “Translation of the works of
Horace into French,
” 2 vols. 12mo; in general faithful,
but deficient in warmth and grace. 3. “The morality of
Epicurus,
” extracted from his writings, The
four poetics, of Aristotle, of Horace, of Vida, and of
Boileau,
” with translations and remarks, History
of primary causes,
” Elemens
de Litterature, extraits du Cours des Belles Lettres,
” 2 vols.
12mo. 7. His “Cours elementaire,
” for the use of the
military school, 45 vols. 12mo, a book hastily composed,
in which he has copied himself, and copied others. He
was admitted of the academy of inscriptions in -1759, and
of the acadernie Frangoise in 1761, and was a frequent
contributor to the memoirs of both societies. He was still
more estimable by his personal qualities than by his literary talents. He supported by his bounty a numerous but
impoverished family.