, so called from the village of Nancel, his native place, between
, so called from the village of
Nancel, his native place, between Noyon and Soissons,
was born in 1539. He studied at the college de Presles
at Paris, and was employed to teach Greek and Latin there
when scarcely eighteen years of age, probably by the interest of Peter Ramus, principal of the college, who conceived very highly of his talents. He was afterwards proKssor in the university of Douay, where he made two
pei.:ches “On the excellence and importance of the Greek
Language.
” Being invited to return to Paris, he was
again professor in the college de Presles, and took a doctor’s degree in physic. He went afterwards to practise at
Soissons; but principally at Tours, which he found an
eligible situation. He was lastly appointed physician to
the abbey of Fontevrauld, in 1587; and died there in 1610,
leaving a son, who wrote some sacred tragedies. His
principal works are, 1. “Stichologia Grseca Latinaque informanda et reformanda,
” 8vo. In this work he endeavours to subject the French poetry to the rules of the
Greek and Latin, for the purpose, as he says, of rendering it more difficult and less common; a whimsical project,
which, it may be supposed, did not succeed. 2. A treatise
“On the Plague,
” 8vo. 3. “Tr. de Deo, de immortalitate animse contra Galenum, et de sede anima? in corpore,
” 8vo. 4. “Declamationuin Liber, eas complectens
orationes quas vel ipse juvenis habuit ad populum, vel
per discipulos recitavit,
” &c. 8vo. 5. “Petri Kami vita,
”
8vo. This Life is curious and interesting, and the best of
Nancel’s works.