PIN (Lewis Ellies du), a very learned French writer, was born at Paris in 1657. In 1685 he undertook to publish an universal bibliothèque of all the ecclesiastical writers, containing the history of their lives, &c. &c.; which vast design he accordingly accomplished. The freedom our author used in his judgments on the style, character, and doctrine of the ecclesiastical writers, having displeased some persons, it was complained of to the archbishop of Paris, who published a decree or ordonnance against it. To this decree was annexed Mr du Pin's retraction; notwithstanding which, his work was suppressed by an arrest of parliament. However, he continued it under another title. His many different books shew his prodigious readiness in composing. He was at the same time a divine, canonist, historian, critic, and philosopher. At last being exhausted by his labours, and by a regimen which contributed to shorten his days, he died in 1719.