that the Heads of the contrary Party made him great Offers in case he wou’d forbear Writing against them; but he refused them all, and said, The Truth shou’d never be betray’d or forsaken by him. Neveletus says, “That his Reply to those that wou’d have tempted him, was this:  Nunquam sibi propugnatam causam quae iniqua esset:  Nunquam quae jure & legibus niteretur desertam praemiorum spe vel metu periculi.”—­He afterwards went to Basel in Swisserland, and from thence (being driven away by the Plague) to Mountbelliard, where he buried his Wife.  He returned then to Basel (after having refused a Professor’s Chair at Leyden) and there he died of a Dropsy in the 65th Year of his Age, the 12th of February, 1590.

He writ a great many learned Books, which were all of them in great Esteem; and among them an excellent Book de Consolatione.  His Francogallia was his own Favourite; tho’ blamed by several others, who were of the contrary Opinion:  Yet even these who wrote against him do unanimously agree, that he had a World of Learning, and a profound Erudition.  He had a thorough Knowledge of the Civil Law, which he managed with all the Eloquence imaginable; and was, without dispute, one of the ablest Civilians that France had ever produced:  This is Thuanus and Barthius’s Testimony of him.  Mr. Bayle indeed passes his Censure of this Work in the Text of his Dictionary, in these Words:  “Sa Francogallia dont il faisoit grand etat est celuy de tous ses ecrits que l’on aprouve le moins:”—­and in his Commentary adds, “C’est un Ouvrage recommendable du coste de l’Erudition; mais tres indigne d’un jurisconsulte Francois, si l’on en croit mesme plusieurs Protestants.” I wou’d not do any Injury to so great a Man as Monsieur Bayle; but every one that is acquainted with his Character, knows that he is more a Friend to Tyranny and Tyrants, than seems to be consistent with so free a Spirit.  He has been extremely ill used, which sowres him to such a degree, that it even perverts his Judgment in some measure; and he seems resolved to be against Monsieur Jurieu, and that Party, in every thing, right or wrong.  Whoever reads his Works, may trace throughout all Parts of them this Disposition of Mind, and see what sticks most at his Heart.  So that he not only loses no Occasion, but often forces one where it seems improper and unseasonable, to vent his Resentments upon his Enemies; who surely did themselves a great deal more wrong in making him so, than they did him.  ’Tis too true, that they did all they cou’d to starve him; and this great Man was forced to write in haste for Bread; which has been the Cause that some of his Works are shorter than he design’d them; and consequently, that the World is deprived of so much Benefit, as otherwise it might have reap’d from his prodigious Learning, and Force of Judgment.  One may see by the first Volume of his Dictionary,