, was born at Uzes on the llth of November 1679. His father died in
, was born at Uzes on the llth of
November 1679. His father died in the second year after
his birth. As his parents were protestants, the mother
removed him from France, to prevent his being educated in
the Romish faith; but it being difficult to find a secure
retreat, he was sent from one place to another, and at last
was obliged to wander among the mountains of Cevennes,
and to change his residence as often as his concealment was
discovered, until at length he found a safe asylum in Geneva. In the mean time his mother was confined in the
castle of Somieres; but nothing could shake her fortitude,
or alter her resolution to have her son educated in her own
persuasion. Her health was much impaired by confinement, under which she probably must have died, had not
a fortunate occurrence required the commander of the fort
to visit Paris. His brother, who occupied his place, interested himself in behalf of his prisoner, and obtained her
enlargement. Having surmounted various perils, she arrived at Geneva two years after her son. The small share
which she had been able to save from the wreck of a fortune which once had been considerable, she expended in
the education of young Abauzit, who made a very rapid
progress in his studies. Mathematics and natural history
chiefly attracted his attention; tut he cultivated almost
every department of literature. In 1698 he visited Hoiland, where he became acquainted with the most celebrated
literary characters of the place, Bayle, Jurieu, and the
Basnages. From Rotterdam he went to England, where
he conversed with St. Evremond and sir Isaac Newton.
With the latter he afterwards engaged in an epistolary
correspondence, and received a compliment which must
be esteemed highly honourable. “You,
” says Sir Isaac,
“are a very fit person to judge between Leibnitz and me.
”