Bergier, Nicolas Silvestre, Dd

Bergier, Nicolas Silvestre, D.D.

was born at Darnay, in Lorraine, December 31, 1718, and became successively cure of Flange-Bouche, in Franche-Comte, canon of Notre- Dame, Paris, and confessor to the king. He was one of the most formidable opponents of the modern philosophical spirit. In 1768 he published La Certitude des Preuves du Christianisme, which passed through three editions in one year, and was translated into Italian and Spanish. Voltaire replied to it by his Conseils raisonables, and Bergier rejoined. Anacharsis Cloots published, in opposition to the work of Bergier, his Certitude des Preuves de Mahometisme. Bergier afterward published Le Deisme refute par luimeme (Paris, 1765-66-68, 2 vols. 12mo, which contains an examination of the opinions of Rousseau): — Apologie de la Religion Chretienne (against d'Holbach: Paris, 1769, 2 vols. 12mo): — Examen du Materialisme (Paris, 1771, 2 vols. 12mo): — Traite de la vraie Religion (Paris, last ed. 1854, 8 vols. 8vo): — L'Origine des dieux du Paganisme (Paris, 1774, 2 vols. 12mo). He also wrote for the Encylopedie his Dictionnaire de Theologie (best ed. Paris, 1854; 6 vols. 8vo, edited by Archbishop Gousset), to which the editors of this Cyclopaedia are much indebted. Bergier died April 19, 1790. His works above named are constantly appearing in new editions in Paris. — Hoefer, Biog. Gen. 5, 515.