deducing conclusions from premises, he endeavours to improve this art by uniting it with that of rhetoric. Of the several branches of rhetoric, he considers invention and disposition as belonging equally to logic. Making Cicero his chief guide, he divides his treatise on dialectics into two parts, the first of which treats of the invention of arguments, the second, of judgments. Arguments he derives not only from what the Aristotelians call middle terms, but from any kind of proposition, which, connected with another, may serve to prove any assertion. Of these he enumerates various kinds. Judgments he divides into axioms, or self-evident propositions, and dianoëa, or deductions by means of a series of arguments. Both these he divides into various classes; and illustrates the whole by examples from the ancient orators and poets."

In the logic of Ramus many things are borrowed from Aristotle, and only appear under new names; and many others are derived from other Grecian sources, particularly from the dialogues of Plato and the logic of the Stoics. The author has the merit of turning the art of reasoning from the futile speculations of the schools to forensic and common use; but his plan is defective in confining the whole dialectic art to the single object of disputation, and in omitting many things which respect the general culture of the understanding, and the investigation of truth. Notwithstanding the defects of his system, we cannot, however, subscribe to the severe censure which has been passed upon Ramus by lord Bacon and others; for much is, we think, due to him, for having with so much firmness and perseverance asserted the natural freedom of the human understanding. The logic of Ramus obtained great authority in the schools of Germany, Great Britain, Holland, and France; and long and violent contests arose between the followers of Ramus and those of the Stagyrite. These were not, however, sufficiently important in their consequences to require a distinct relation, and the fame of Peter Ramus vanished before that of Des Cartes. He published a great many books: the principal of those on mathematics are, 1. "Scholarum Mathematicarum libri 31." 2. "Arithmeticæ libri duo; Algebræ libri duo; Geometriæ libri 27." These were greatly enlarged and explained by Schoner, and published in 2 volumes 4to, and there were several editions of them. The geometry, which is chiefly practical, was translated into English by William Bedwell,

and published at London, 1636, in 4to. He published also a singular work, Paris 1558, 4to, the 15 books of Euclid, containing only the definitions and general enunciations of the propositions, without diagrams or demonstrations, which he thinks it better for the teacher to suppress."

RAMUSIO, or RAMNUSIO (JOHN BAPTIST), a valua ble collector of voyages and travels, the son of Paul Ramusio, a lawyer, was born at Venice in 1486. He made great proficiency in his classical and philosophical studies, but had a particular turn for politics, and was thought so accomplished in the knowledge of public affairs, that he was frequently deputed by the state to Switzerland, Rome, and France. He was also made secretary of the council of ten at Venice, and was for forty-three years more or less employed in that post, or in embassies. When old and infirm, he retired to Padua, where he died in July 1557, in the seventy-second year of his age. His principal work was entitled "Raccolta delle Navigazioni e de Viaggi," and was published at different periods in three volumes folio. Of this valuable work complete copies are not easily to be met with. Brunet recommends the following selection, as forming the best copy: vol. I. of the edition 1563 or 1588; vol. II. of 1583, and vol. III. of 1565. To this last volume should be added the supplement to the edition of 1606, p. 386-430, which contains "Viaggio di M. Cesare de Fredrici nell' India-Orientale."2

RANCE (DOM. ARMAND JOHN LE BOUTHILlier de), the celebrated abbé and reformer of the monastery of La Trappe, was born January 9, 1626, at Paris. He was nephew of Claudius le Bouthillier de Chavigny, secretary of state, and superintendant of the finances. In classical learning he made so rapid a progress that, with some direction from his tutor, he published, at the age of twelve or thirteen years, a new edition of "Anacreon," in Greek, with notes, 1639, 8vo. This curious volume, which was dedicated to his godfather Cardinal Richelieu, was reprinted in 1647, and both editions are now scarce. At ten years old, according to the absurd custom then prevalent, he was appointed canon of Notre Dame in Paris, and became possessed of several benefices in a short time. He afterwards took a doctor of divinity's degree in the Sorbonne, February 10, 1654, and appearing then in a public

1 Gen. Dict.-Moreri.-Niceron, vol. XIII.-Brucker.

* Niceron, vol. XXXV.—Moreri in Ramnusio.—Tiraboschi

character, soon became distinguished not only for taste and politeness, but for those amiable qualifications which are of use in society. He was not however without his frailties, and it is said that he refused the bishopric of Leon from a motive of vanity. He was then appointed almoner to the duke of Orleans, and made a shining figure in the assembly of the clergy in 1655, as deputy from the second order. At length becoming conscious how little splendour and preeminence avail to happiness, he bad adieu to all, and devoted his days to religious exercises. It has been said, that this resolution was the consequence of a visit he paid to a favourite lady, from whom he had been absent for some time, and whom on entering her apartment he found dead in her coffin, and frightfully disfigured with the smallpox. This anecdote is taken from "Les veritables Motifs de la Conversion de l'Abbé de la Trappe," published by Daniel de la Roque, Cologn, 1685, 12mo; but some of his biographers treat it as fabulous. One of them, Marsollier, with greater appearance of probability, attributes his conversion to his having narrowly escaped being killed by the ball of a firelock, which struck his gibeciere, or pouch, on which he immediately exclaimed, "Alas! where should I have been, had not my God had compassion on me." Whichever of these incidents was the cause, it is certain that he retired from the world, and refused even to be assistant to his uncle, who was archbishop of Tours. He then founded a monastery, the fraternity belonging to which practise the utmost self-denial. Their diet is merely vegetable. They allow not themselves wine, flesh, fish, nor eggs; they enter into no conversation with strangers, and for some days are wholly silent. They have each a separate cell, and used to pass some part of every day in digging their own graves in the garden of the convent. De Rancé placed this new establishment of the monks of La Trappe in the hands of the fathers of the strict Cistertian observance. He also sold his estate at Veret for 100,000 crowns, which sum he gave to the Hôtel Dieu at Paris, and took the monastic habit in the abbey of Notre Dame de Perseigne, where he made profession, June 6, 1664. He afterwards took possession of the abbey de la Trappe, and introduced those regulations above mentioned, which long made it the admiration of all travellers. In this retreat he lived devated to his austere observances, until 1695, when he died on his straw pallet, in presence of the bishop of Seez, and the

whole community, October 26, 1700, aged 74, leaving many pious works; among which the principal are, a book "de la Saintété des Devoirs de l'Etat monastique," 1683, 2 vols. 4to; "Eclaircissemens sur ce Livre," 1685, 4to; "Explication sur la Regle de S. Benoît," 12mo; "Réflexions morales sur les quatre Evangiles," 4 vols. 12mo; "Conférences sur les Evangiles," 4 vols. 12mo; "Instructions et Maximes," 12mo; " Conduite Chrétienne," written for Mad. de Guise, 12mo; a great number of "Spiritual Letters," 2 vols. 12mo; "Accounts of the Lives and Deaths of some Monks of la Trappe," 4 vols. 12mo, continued to 6 vols.; lastly, "The Constitutions and Rules of the Abbé of la Trappe," 1701, 2 vols. 12mo. His life has been written by several Romish authors, particularly by M. de. Maupeou, M. Marsollier, and Le Nain, brother of M. de Tillemont, 2 vols. 12mo.

Mr. Seward, in his "Anecdotes of distinguished persons," has given a minute account of the monastery of La Trappe, to which we refer our readers. During the revolutionary excesses in France, this little establishment shared the fate of all other religious houses; the monks were expelled, and the place turned into a foundery for cannon. The monks at length found an asylum in England, where, under the sanction of government, Mr. Weld of Lulworth castle erected a building for them, in which they resumed their former austerities, and strictly followed all the observances of their order.'

RANCONET (AIMAR DE), a native of Perigueux, or, according to Menage, of Bourdeaux, was the son of an advocate in the last mentioned city. He was well skilled in the Roman law, philosophy, mathematics, and antiquities; and was appointed president of the parliament of Paris, after having been counsellor to that of Bourdeaux. His mode of life was singular. He seldom read in the day-time; but used to take a light supper, go to rest early, and rise, after his first sleep, about the time that the monks say matins; then, covering his head like a capuchin, he spent four hours in study, and, going to bed again, finished, after a quiet sleep, what he had meditated upon during the night. By this plan, he used to say that the most rapid progress might be made in learning. He was an excellent Greek and Latin scholar; and, if we may believe M. Pithou, it

J Moreri in Dict. Hist.-Seward's Anecdotes.-Gent. Mag. LXXXIII.

was he who composed the Dictionary which goes under the name of Charles Stephens. Pithou adds, that, when cardinal de Lorraine assembled the parliament of Paris to take their advice as to the punishment of heretics, Ranconet was so imprudent as to read that passage in which Sulpitius Severus touches upon the execution of Priscillian; and the cardinal being displeased, sent him to the Bastille, where he died of grief, 1558, aged above 60. Others say that Ranconet's confinement proceeded from his having been falsely accused of a capital crime. He left in MS. "Le Tresor de la Langue Françoise, tant ancienne que moderne;" which was the foundation of the Dictionaries of Nicot and Monet.1

In

RANDALL (JOHN), an English divine, was born at Missenden in Buckinghamshire, and sent very young to St. Mary Hall, Oxford, in 1581, whence he removed to Trinity college, and took his degree of bachelor of arts. July 1587, he was chosen to a fellowship of Lincoln college, and in 1589 proceeded in the degree of master of arts. About this time he was ordained, and became one of the most noted preachers in the university. In 1598, he was admitted bachelor of divinity, and the year after resigned his fellowship, and was presented to the rectory of St. Andrew Hubbard, in East-cheap, London. Here, Antony Wood informs us, "after some time, he became so great a labourer in God's vineyard by his frequent and constant work in the ministry, as well in resolving of doubts and cases of conscience as in preaching and lecturing, that he went beyond his brethren in that city, to the wonder of all.” Wood adds that this was the more wonderful, as he was a great sufferer by sickness; and that he was "accounted a judicious, orthodox, and holy man, and by some a zealous and innocent puritan, of a harmless life and conversation, and one that was solely framed to do good acts." He died in June 1622, aged about fifty-four, and was buried in his church. By his will he left a tenement situated in St. MaryHall-lane, to Lincoln college. Besides some single sermons, and a collection of "Eleven Sermons on Romans viii." London, 1623, he was the author of the following posthumous works: 1. "The great Mystery of Godliness, 1624, 4to; and 1640, third edition. 2. "Treatise concerning the Sacraments," 1630, 4to. 3. "Catechistical Lec

1 Moreri,Dict. Hist.