Pierre des Maizeaux, also spelled Desmaizeaux (c. 1666 or 1673June 1745), was a French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

writer exiled in London, best known as the translator and biographer of

Pierre Bayle Pierre Bayle (; 18 November 1647 – 28 December 1706) was a French philosopher, author, and lexicographer. He is best known for his '' Historical and Critical Dictionary'', whose publication began in 1697. Many of the more controversial ideas ...

. He was born in Pailhat,

Auvergne Auvergne (; ; or ) is a cultural region in central France. As of 2016 Auvergne is no longer an administrative division of France. It is generally regarded as conterminous with the land area of the historical Province of Auvergne, which was dis ...

, France. His father, a minister of the reformed church, had to leave France on the revocation of the

Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was an edict signed in April 1598 by Henry IV of France, King Henry IV and granted the minority Calvinism, Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was predominantl ...

, and took refuge in

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

, where Pierre was educated.

gave him an introduction to

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (26 February 1671 – 16 February 1713) was an English peer, Whig politician, philosopher and writer. Early life He was born at Exeter House in London, the son and first child of the future An ...

, with whom, in 1689, he went to England, where he engaged in literary work. He remained in close touch with the religious refugees in England and

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

, and through his involvement with the Huguenot information centre based at the

masonic Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

Rainbow Coffee House he was constantly in correspondence with the leading continental savants and writers, who were in the habit of employing him to conduct such business as they might have in England. In 1720 he was elected a fellow of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

. He was a colleague of Anthony Collins and edited the writings of

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) – 28 October 1704 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.)) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thi ...

(1720). He was the translator and biographer of

. One of the key figures in the eighteenth century

Republic of Letters The Republic of Letters (''Res Publica Litterarum'' or ''Res Publica Literaria'') was the long-distance intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas. It fostered communication among the intellectuals of th ...

and London's

diaspora. Des Maizeaux also translated the works of Charles de Saint-Évremond in English from the French published in 1714 during his exile in England. The book also described the author's life. The work was dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Lord Halifax. In 1700 des Maizeaux wrote a remark concerning

Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (or Leibnitz; – 14 November 1716) was a German polymath active as a mathematician, philosopher, scientist and diplomat who is credited, alongside Sir Isaac Newton, with the creation of calculus in addition to many ...

' 'New System' and in 1720 he edited and prefaced a French translation of the Leibniz–Clarke correspondence.''Recueil de pieces diverses'', Amsterdam, 1720; Newton, whose views had been debated, offered advice which served his own interests, see Baillon J., "Early eighteenth-century Newtonianism: the Huguenot contribution", ''Stud. Hist. Phil. of Sci. part A'' 35(2004)539 Among his works are also ''Vie de St Evremond'' (1711), ''Vie de Boileau-Despreaux'' (1712), ''Vie de Bayle'' (1730). He also took an active part in preparing the ''Bibliothèque raisonnée des ouvrages de l'Europe (1728–1753)'', and the ''Bibliothèque britannique (1733–1747)'', and edited a selection of St. Evremond's writings (1706). Part of Des Maiseaux's correspondence is preserved in the British Museum, and other letters are in the Royal Library in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

. Des Maizeaux died in London.

References

*Almagor, J., ''Pierre Des Maizeaux (1673–1745), journalist and English correspondent for Franco-Dutch periodicals, 1700–1720 ; with the inventory of his correspondence and papers at the British Library (Add.Mss.4281–4289)'', Amsterdam : APA-Holland University Press, 1989. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Des Maizeaux, Pierre 17th-century births 1745 deaths French emigrants Immigrants to the Kingdom of England French male writers Fellows of the Royal Society