ennoble human nature. his age, and that was the age of Louis XIV. Another important part of his character we shall give in the words of one of his editors: "The enemies," says he, "of revealed religion, are perpetually telling us, that it renders man abject and pusillanimous; contracts and shackles the understanding; retards the progress of science, and is only fit for weak and vulgar minds. If there were not a multitude of examples, adapted to confound the abettors of such an extravagant motion, that of the chancellor D'Aguesseau would alone be sufficient for that purpose. This illustrious magistrate, whose sublime genius, and universal knowledge, his country, and indeed the learned world in general, beheld with admiration; who was one of the brightest ornaments of the present age; and who, with unremitting activity, consecrated his talents, and his whole life, to the service of his country, was an humble and zealous disciple of the Christian religion, which he considered as the true philosophy; because it was, according to him, the only guide which could shew man what he was, what he is, and can render him what he ought to be."

He was one of the first men of

The works of D'Aguesseau are comprized in 13 vols. 4to, Paris, 1759-89. The edition printed at Yverdun, 1772— 75, 12 vols. 8vo, is not complete. A few of them have been published separately. '

AGUILLONIUS, or AGUILON (FRANCIS), was a Jesuit of Brussels, and professor of philosophy at Doway, and of theology at Antwerp. He was one of the first that introduced mathematical studies at Antwerp. He wrote a book entitled "Opticorum lib. VI. Philosophicis juxta ac Mathematicis utiles," printed at Antwerp by Plantin in 1613, in fol.; and a treatise "Of Projections of the Sphere." He was employed in finishing his " Catoptrics and Dioptrics," at the time of his death, which happened at Seville, in 1617. He appears to have been a man of great learning, and of great piety. 2

AGUIRRE (JOSEPH SAENZ DE), a very learned man of the 17th century, was born at Logrogno, a city of Spain, March 24, 1630, and took the degree of D. D. in the university of Salamanca in 1668, and read lectures in that

1 Biographie Universelle.-Moreri, Suppl. to vol. X. p. 74.-Dict. Historique. -Life prefixed to his works,--Crit. Rev. vol. VI. p. 75.—Month. Rev. vol. LXXIII. 2 Gen. Dict. Biog. Universelle.

faculty for many years. He was censor and secretary of the supreme council of the inquisition in Spain, chief interpreter of the scriptures in the university of Salamanca, and had been more than once abbot of the college of St. Vincent, when he was honoured with a cardinal's hat by Innocent XI. in 1686. He died at Rome Aug. 19, 1699. His life was very exemplary; and the dignity to which he was raised was so far from making any change in him, that he shewed an instance very uncommon, by retracting in an express piece the doctrine of probability, which he had before maintained, as soon as he found it was inconsistent with the purity of the Christian morality. His first work was entitled "Ludi Salmanticenses sive Theologia Florulenta," printed in 1668, fol. These are dissertations

which he wrote, according to the custom of the university of Salamanca, before he received his degree of D.D. there; and there are some things in them to which he objected in his more mature years. In 1671 he published three volumes in folio upon philosophy, and in 1673 “A commentary upon Aristotle's ten books of Ethics." In 1677 he published "A treatise upon Virtues and Vices, or Disputations on Aristotle's Moral Philosophy." He then applied himself to the study of St. Anselm's works, upon whose principles in divinity he published "The Theology of St. Anselm," 3 vols. fol. 1690. In 1683 he published a large work against the declaration of the assembly of the French clergy made in 1682, concerning the ecclesiastical and civil power, under the title of "A defence of the see of St. Peter." The work for which he is chiefly celebrated is his "Collection of the Councils of Spain" with an introductory history. This was published in 1693-4, in 4 vols. fol.; and in 1753 in 6 vols. fol. He published a Prodromus of this work in 1686, 8vo. It is variously spoken of; Du Pin is inclined to depreciate its merit. Abstracts from it may be seen in the Acta Eruditorum of Leipsic, for the month of February, 1688, and some farther particulars in the General Dictionary.

AGYLÆUS (HENRY), an eminent lawyer and law writer, the son of Anthony Agylæus, originally of an Italian family, was born at Bois-le-duc, about 1533, where he was educated, and became a distinguished Greek scholar. In his youth he carried arms against the king of

1 Gen. Dict.-Moreri.-Saxii Onomasticon.

Spain, was appointed a deputy to the States General, a member of the supreme council, and advocate fiscal. But he is less known by his share in the defence of his country, than by his learning and writings. He published; 1. "Novellæ Justiniani Imp. Constitutiones," with Holoander's translation corrected, Paris, 1560, 4to. 2. "Justiniani edicta: Justini, Tiberii, Leonis philosophi constitutiones, et Zenonis una," Paris, 1560, 8vo. 3. A Latin translation of the Nomo-Canon of Photius, with Balsamon's commentary, a better translation, and from a more complete copy than that of Gentian Hervet, Basil, 1561, fol. It has been reprinted by Christopher Justel, with the Greek, in 1615, and in 1661 by Henry Justel in his Collection of the ancient canon law. 4. "Inauguratio Philippi II. Hisp. regis, qua se juramento ducatui Brabantiæ, &c. obligavit," Utrecht, 1620, 8vo. He died April 1595.1

AHLWARDT (PETER), professor of logic and metaphysics at Greifswald, was born in that town, Feb. 19, 1710, and died there, March 1, 1791, after having enjoyed considerable fame, from his learning, zeal, benevolence, and love of truth. His father was a poor shoe-maker, but by extreme œconomy his son was enabled to pursue his studies at Greifswald, and afterwards at the university of Jena. He became the founder of the society or order of the Abelites, the object of which was the promotion of candour and sincerity. His favourite maxim was, "Give every thing on which you are immediately engaged, be it ever so trifling, all the attention of which you are capable." He thought he had discovered that want of attention is the source of lukewarmness in the cause of virtue, and the great promoter of vice; and imputed his attachment to the duties of his office and of religion, to his constant observance of the above rule. His principal works are: 1. "Brontotheologie," or pious meditations on the phenomena of thunder and lightning, Greifswald, 1745, 8vo; translated into Dutch 1747. 2. "Reflexions on the Augsburgh Confession," eight parts in 3 vols. 1742-50, 4to, which may be considered as a continuation of Reinbeck's large work on the same subject. 3. Some "Sermons" and "Philosophical Dissertations." In those which he published in 1734 and 1740, on the immortality of the soul, and the freedom of God, he introduced some opinions,

1 Foppen Bibl. Belg.-Biog. Universelle.-Moreri.-Saxii Onomasticon.

After the death of Sega, Agucchio was appointed secretary to cardinal Aldobrandini, nephew to pope Clement VIII. and attended him when he went legate to Henry IV. of France, of which journey he wrote a very elegant account. The cardinal, after his return, committed the management of his house to Agucchio, which province he executed till the death of pope Clement VIII. and of his brother the cardinal Agucchio, when want of health obliged him to retire from the court. But after he had recovered, and had passed some time at Rome in learned retirement, cardinal Aldobrandini brought him again into his former employment, in which he continued till the cardinal's death. He then became secretary to Gregory XV. which place he held until the death of that pontiff. In 1624, Urban VIII. sent him as nuncio to Venice, where he became generally esteemed, although he maintained the rights of the see of Rome with the utmost rigour. The contagious distemper which ravaged Italy in 1630, obliged him to retire to Friuli, where he died in 1632. He was a man of very extensive learning, but appears in his private character to have been somewhat austere and narrow. His works are: "A treatise upon

Comets and Meteors," "The Life of Cardinal Sega, and that of Jerom Agucchio his brother," and a letter to the canon Barthelemi Dolcini on the origin of the city of Bologna, "L'Antica fondazione e dominio della citta di Bologna," Bologna, 1638, 4to. He left also various letters and moral treatises, not published.

1

AGUESSEAU (HENRY FRANCIS D'), a French statesman, of great worth and talents, was born at Limoges, Nov. 7, 1668, the son of Henry d'Aguesseau, then intendant of the Limoisin, and afterwards counsellor of state. The family was distinguished for having produced many able magistrates, among whom was Anthony, the grandfather of the chancellor, who was first president of the parliament of Bourdeaux. Henry-Francis, the subject of the present article, was educated under his father in every species of knowledge which promised to qualify him for the office of magistrate. After being admitted, in 1690, an advocate, he became, a few months after, advocate-general of the parliament of Paris, at the age of only twenty-two years.

2 Gen. Dict.-Eryth, Pinacotheca,—Moreri.-Biog. Universelle. Saxii Ono, mastieon.

The king, in appointing one so young to an office of very great consequence, was guided solely by the recommendation of his father. "I know him," said his majesty, "to be incapable of deceiving me, even in the case of his own son;" and the young advocate completely justified the con fidence reposed in him. The celebrated Denis Talon, who had obtained great reputation in the same office, declared that he should have been willing to conclude his career as that young man had begun his. After having performed the functions of his office with reputation equal to his commencement, he became procurator-general; and the nature of his new office furnished him with occasion to display new talents in the public service. In particular, he introduced a complete system of reformation in the management of the hospitals, by which abuses were prevented or corrected; and he restored order and discipline in the tribunals, by which the criminal code was greatly improved. In questions respecting estates, he discovered much acuteness and knowledge of antiquities.

In 1709, the war and famine, and public distress rendered his place of much importance, and called forth the qualities of the heart as well as the head. At this critical period, Desmarets, the comptroller-general, appointed a committee of the principal magistrates, among whom was D'Aguesseau, whose zeal and knowledge animated the whole. He contrived to discover the forestallers of provisions; punished the most guilty; and re-established credit and confidence; and from this time, a sense of the value of his public services made him be often consulted on the most difficult points of administration, and employed to draw up memorials for the king. Towards the end of the reign, however, of Louis XIV. he was threatened with disgrace for having refused to register the famous bull Unigenitus. On this occasion it was that madame D'Aguesseau, when her husband was about to set out for Versailles, said, " Go, and before the king, forget your wife and children, and lose every thing but your honour." D'Aguesseau, without perhaps understanding the whole of the doctrines condemned by that bull, thought he perceived, in part of its regulations, something that threatened the rights of monarchy, which he therefore had the courage to defend against the monarch himself. It was this sense of the matter which produced the spirited answer he gave to Quirini, the pope's nuncio: "Is it thus," said