Boisgelin, Jean De

Dieu Raymiond de Cuce de, a French prelate and theologian, was born at Renies, Feb. 27, 1732. Destined from infancy for the ecclesiastical profession, he was appointed successively grandvicar of Pontoise, bishop of Lavaur, and archbishop of Aix. While president of the States, a canal was built, which bore his name; he also founded an:institution for the education of poor girls, and several other useful establishments. In 1789-97 he was sent as deputy of the clergy of Aix to the States-General, where he jealously fought against the union of the three orders, and voted for the abolition of the feudal privileges, and for the annual assessment of the tax. He was elected president of the assembly Nov. 23, 1790, where he combated the motion which gave to the assembly the power to dispose of all the goods of the Church. He proposed the convocation of a general council, and published a writing entitled, Exposition des Principes des Eveques de l'Assemblee. After the session of the constituent assembly, a constitutional archbishop having been appointed to Aix, M. de Boisgelin retired to England, and did not return to France until after the signature of the Concordat. In 1802 he was appointed archbishop of ours, and a little later wase made cardinal. In 1765 he pronounced the funeral oration of the Dauphin, son of Louis XV; in 1766 that of Stanislas, king of Poland; in 1769 that of the Dauphin, and the discourse at the coronation of Louis XVI at Rheims. In 1776 he became member of the French Academy, in place of the abbot of Voisenon. He died at Angeryilliers, Aug. 22, 1804. He wrote, among other works, Art de Juger par L' Analyse des Idles (Paris, 1789): — Discours sur le Retablissement de la Religion: — Heroaides d'Ouide, translated into French verse without the name of the author (ibid. 1786): — Le Psalmiste, traduction des Psaumnes en vers, precedee d'un Discours sur la Poesie Sacree des Hebreux (Lond. 1799). This work was published in order to supply the wants of some families of French emigrants. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.