, eldest son of the preceding, was born in 1653, at Nieukoop, educated at Hoorn and Amsterdam,
, eldest son of the preceding, was born in 1653, at Nieukoop, educated at Hoorn and Amsterdam, and studied philosophy and divinity under Philip Limborch. After passing the usual examinations, he was licensed, in 1673, to the office of the ministry at Schoonhoven, where he remained tiiree years. He then removed to the Arminian congregation at Hoorn; to Alomar, in 1631; Rotterdam, in 1683; and finally to Amsterdam, where he died in 1696. He published some sermons and religious tracts in German, and in Latin the lives of Grotius and Arminius; the latter was republished at Brunswick, with a preface and notes by Mosheim, in 1725, 8vo.
, the celebrated cardinal of that name, was born in 1653, at Lodeve in Languedoc, but was brought to Paris
, the celebrated cardinal of that name, was born in 1653, at Lodeve in Languedoc, but was brought to Paris at the age of six, and
there educated for the church. He distinguished himself
in the progress of his studies; and when he began to mix
with the world, appeared there with the natural advantages of a handsome figure, pleasing address, and wellmanaged wit. His first preferment was that of a canon of
Montpellier; he was also a doctor of the Sorbonne. But
his friends becoming numerous, much interest was made
for him, and in 1698, Louis XIV. named him bishop of
Frejus. “I have made you wait a long time,
” said the
king, “but you have so many friends, that I was determined to stay till I could have the sole merit of preferring
you.
” Louis XIV. a little before he died, appointed him
preceptor to his grandson, in which office he succeeded
Bossuet and Fenelon. In 1726 he was made cardinal, and
soon after advanced to the place of prime-minister. He
was then turned seventy. Yet the weight of this active:
post did not alarm him; and, to the age of ninety, he
manifested a mind in full vigour, and capable of conducting affairs. From 1726 to 1740, every thing prospered.
He commenced and brought to a glorious conclusion for
his country, the war for the succession in Spain; and he
added Lorraine to the French territory. In the war which
commenced in 174-0 he was not so fortunate; and in 1743
he died, full of grief for a succession of misfortunes, of
which the nation reproached him as the author. A too
rigid attention to economy had led him to neglect the marine of his country; and the successes of England by sea
completed the evil which had been thus begun. We was
of a mild and tranquil character, a lover of peace, and
not a man to make himself feared. He governed, says
Millot, if not like a sublime genius who executes great
things, at least like a prudent man, who accommodates his
plans to circumstances, prefers essential to specious adVantages, and regards tranquillity and order as the foundation of public happiness. He had neither the pride of
Richelieu, nor the avarice of Mazarin. No minister could
be less costly to the state; his income did not amount tq
five thousand pounds sterling a year, one half of which
was employed in secret acts of benevolence. In the state
of disorder to which the profusion of Louis XIV. had reduced the finances of France, it was happy for that country
to have such a minister as Fleury, whose pacific turn counterbalanced the impetuosity of Villars, which would continually have plunged the country in new wars.
, a celebrated protestant divine, and theological professor, was born in 1653 at Doelberg, in Westphalia. He received, at Unna,
, a celebrated protestant divine, and theological professor, was born in 1653
at Doelberg, in Westphalia. He received, at Unna, an
excellent education in the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, and in 1670 maintained with great ability a thesis
“de studio mathematico philosophic prsemittendo.
” In
the same year he went to Utrecht, where he received lectures from the celebrated Francis Burmann on the scriptures; but on the war with France, was obliged to go to
Gottingen, where he studied under James Alting: this
place also becoming unsafe, he returned to Germany, and
studied for some time at Marpurg, and after that at Heidelberg. From thence he went to Basil and Zurich; and
in 1676 he once more visited the United Provinces, and
spent two years at the universities of Utrecht and Leyden.
No sooner had he returned to his native country than he
received an invitation to become pastor of the protcstant
church at Cologne, which he declined, owing to ill-health;
and he undertook the chaplainship to Elizabeth, abbess of
Hervorden, and daughter of Frederic, king of Bohemia;
which post he retained till the death of the princess, in
1680. After this he was appointed preacher to Albertine,
princess of Orange, and widow of William of Nassau;
and in 1686, was elected professor of divinity at the university of Franeker. In June 1704 he was appointed, on
very honourable and advantageous terms, professor of divinity at Utrecht, a post which he retained with great reputation till his death, July 12, 1718, in the 66th year of
his age. Barman says, he was without dispute a first-rate
philosopher and divine; but leaves it to his brethren to
determine whether he was not somewhat heretical in his
singular opinions on the generation of the son of God,
and on the temporal death of believers. These were expressed in his “Theses Theologicos de generatione filii,
et morte fidelium temporali,
” Francfort, Commentarius in principinm epistolae Pauli
ad Epht’sos,
” Utrecht, Explicatio Catecheseos Heidelbergensis,
” ibid.
Exegesis in Psalmum Ixxxix.
” Duisburg, Gulichii Analysis et compendium hbrorum
propheticorum antiqui et novi fcederis,
” Amst. Oratio inauguralis de religione rationali,
” afterwards,
and often reprinted under the title of a “Dissertntio,
”
which Heumann calls a very learned and elegant work,
, a French miscellaneous writer, was born in 1653, of a good family, at St. Quentin in Picardy. He
, a
French miscellaneous writer, was born in 1653, of a good
family, at St. Quentin in Picardy. He became secretary to
the king’s closet, to the marine, a member of the French
academy, an honorary member of the academy of sciences,
and historiographer to his majesty. M. de Valincour had
collected a great number of very curious and important
memoirs respecting marine affairs; but these Mss. were
consumed with his library by a fire, which burnt his house
at St. Cloud in the night, between the thirteenth and
fourteenth of January, 1725. He died January 5, 1730,
at Paris, aged seventy. His works are, A Criticism on
the romance of the princess of Cleves, entitled “Lettres a Madame la Marquise de sur le sujet de la
Princesse de Cleves,
” Paris, Life of Francis de Lorraine, duke of
Guise,
” Observations critiques sur PCEdipe
de Sophocle,
” and several short poetical pieces in Pere
Boiihours’ collection.