. General biography; or, Lives, critical and historical, of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions, arranged according to alphabetical order . nt course of ill health, he distinguish-ed himself by his acquirements. Returning tohis fathers house, he pursued his studies withgreat ardour, both in the belles-lettres, and iixmetaphysics and morals. He was admittedcounsellor of parliameiit in 1720 ; and theknown extent of his abilities caused him to beemployed in various affairs of consequence,concerning which he drew up very accurateand learned memorials. In pa
. General biography; or, Lives, critical and historical, of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions, arranged according to alphabetical order . nt course of ill health, he distinguish-ed himself by his acquirements. Returning tohis fathers house, he pursued his studies withgreat ardour, both in the belles-lettres, and iixmetaphysics and morals. He was admittedcounsellor of parliameiit in 1720 ; and theknown extent of his abilities caused him to beemployed in various affairs of consequence,concerning which he drew up very accurateand learned memorials. In particular, hisprinted memorials relative to the contest be-tween the parliament and the court of aids ofBourdeaux, in which he acted as deputy forthe former, were admired as master-pieces oferudition and judgment. During his visits toParis he had contracted an acquaintance withthe principal men of letters in that capital;ai!d when finally fixed at Bourdeaux, he wasmade a member of tlie academy there, and in1737, its director. He had projected severalconsiderable works in scientific and polite lite=rature ; but revisiting Paris to augment liis, (?viiv,i;;ir,;fvv\);N. BEL ( 83 ) BEL physical knowledge, the excess of his laboursthrew him into an illness of which he died in1738, aged forty-six. He left to the academyof Bourdeaux the house in which it holds itssittings, and his valuable library. Besides pro-fessional works, Mr. Bel published An Apo-logy for JVlr. Houdart de la Motte, 1724, four letters. This is, in fact, an ironicalcriticism on the works of that author, especiallyhis tragedies. He had already taken partagainst him in his celebrated controversy withMadame Dacier on the merits of the ancients. An Examination of the Tragedy of Roaiu-lus, by la Motte. A Dissertation on theAbbeUubossOpinion concerningthePreferenceto be given to the Perceptions of Taste, aboveReasoning, in judging of Works of Genius.* Letters containing Observations on Vol-taires Tragedy of
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