NAUDE (Gabriel), was descended of a reputable family, and born at Paris, February 12th, 1600. His parents observing his fondness for reading and inclination to letters, resolved to breed him in that way; and accordingly sent him to a religious community, to learn the first rudiments of grammar and the principles of Christianity. Thence he was removed to the university, where he applied himself with great success to classical learning; and having learned philosophy, was created master of arts very young. As soon as he had finished his course in philosophy, he remained some time at a stand what profession to choose, being advised by his friends to divinity; but his inclination being more turned to physic, he fixed at length upon that faculty. However, this choice did not prevent him from indulging his genius in other branches of learning: in reality, the plan of his studies was very extensive, suited to his comprehensive talents and indefatigable industry: and he soon distinguished himself therein so much, that Henry de Mesmes, president à mortier, hearing his character, made him keeper of his library, and took him into his family. Naude was the more pleased with this post, as it gave him an opportunity of gratifying his bookish taste in general, and at the same time furnished him both with means and leisure to improve himself as he could wish, in the science which he had embraced in particular. He quitted it in 1626, in order to go to Padua to perfect himself therein: but he did not continue long in that university, the death of his father and his domestic affairs calling him back to Paris before the expiration of the year.
In 1628 the faculty of physic appointed him to make the customary discourse on the reception of licentiates; which performance entirely answered their expectations from him, and was made public. In 1631, Cardinal Bagni made him his librarian and Latin secretary, and carried him with him to Rome in the spring of that year. Naude continued in this service till the death of the cardinal, which happened July 24. 1641; and in the interim made an excursion to Padua, to take his doctor of physic's degree, in order to support with a better grace the quality with which he had been honoured by Louis XIII. who had made him his physician. The ceremony of this appointment was performed March 25. 1633, and we have the speech he pronounced on the occasion. After the death of his patron, he had thoughts of returning to France; but was detained in Italy by several advantageous offers made to him by persons of consideration in that country. Among these he preferred those of Cardinal Barberini, and closed with his eminence. However, as soon as Cardinal Richelieu sent for him to be his librarian, he immediately returned to Paris; but he happened not to be long in the service of the prime minister, if it be true that he arrived at Paris in March 1642, since Cardinal Richelieu died in December following: notwithstanding, he succeeded to the like post under Mazarine, for whom he
formed a most rich library, which he raised from the first volume in the space of seven years to the number of 40,000.
His design was nearly completed before the Cardinal gave him two small benefices, a canonry of Verdun and the priory of Artige in the Limousin: and we know how much this ungenerosity affected him, from a letter of Patin to Charles Spon, dated March 22. 1648, where he writes thus of our librarian: "I have seen one thing in him which I am very sorry for; especially as I have known him all along hitherto at a great distance from such a disposition: it is, that he begins to complain of his fortune, and of his master's avarice, from whom he had never received any more than 1200 livres a year in benefices; not forbearing to declare, that his life was sacrificed for too small a matter. I think (continues Patin) what grieves him is, the apprehension of dying before he has raised something for his brothers and his nephews, of whom he has a great number." However that be, Naudé had the grief to see this library, which he had collected with so much pains and care, totally dispersed. Upon the disgrace of Mazarine it was sold; and Patin, in a letter of March 5. 1651, observes, that Naudé had bought all the books in physic for 3500 livres. Christina queen of Sweden, who set herself to draw into her dominions all the literati of Europe, procured a proposal to be made to Naudé of being her library keeper; and as he was then out of all employ, he accepted the proposal, and went to Cop.— But he soon grew out of humour with his residence in Sweden: the manners of the people, so very different from his, gave him great disgust; and seeing France become more quiet than it had been, he resolved to return. Accordingly he quitted Sweden loaded with presents from the queen, and several persons of distinc-
tion: but the fatigue of the journey threw him into a fever, which obliged him to stop at Abbeville; and he died there July 29. 1653.
As to his character, he was very prudent and regular in his conduct, sober, never drinking any thing but water. Study was his principal occupation, and he was indeed a true Hellus librorum; so that he understood them perfectly well. He spoke his mind with great freedom, and that freedom sometimes showed itself upon religious subjects, in such a manner as might have occasioned some disadvantageous thoughts of him; but the Christian sentiments in which he died left room to believe that his heart was never corrupted, and had no share in the free expressions which sometimes escaped from him; especially in the philosophical raileries which passed sometimes between him, Guy Patin, and Gaffendi. He wrote a great number of books, a catalogue of which may be seen in Nicéron's Memoires, tom. ix. Voltaire says, that "of all his books, the Apologie des grands Hommes accusés de Magie is almost the only one which continues to be read."