PEYRERE, ISAAC LA, an individual remarkable for versatility in his religious opinions, was born at Bordeaux in 1594, being the son of Protestant parents. He entered the service of the Prince of Condé, who was much pleased with the singularity of his genius. From the perusal of St Paul's writings, he took it into his head to maintain that Adam was not the first of the human race; and, to prove this heterodox opinion, he published a book, which was printed in Holland, and entitled Predamita, sive Exercitatio super versibus, 12, 13, 14, cap. xv. Epistolæ Pauli ad Romanos, 1655, in 4to and 8vo. This work was burned at Paris, and the author imprisoned at Brussels, through the influence of the Archbishop of Malines's grand vicar. The Prince of Condé having obtained his liberty, he travelled to Rome in 1656, and there made to Pope Alexander VII. a solemn renunciation both of Calvinism and Predamitism. But his conversion was not thought to be sincere, at least with regard to this last heresy. His desire to be the head of a new sect is evident; and his book discovers his ambition, for he there pays many compliments to the Jews, and invites them to attend his lectures. Upon his return to Paris, notwithstanding the earnest solicitations of his holiness that he would remain at Rome, he went again into the service of the Prince of Condé, in quality of librarian. Some time afterwards he retired to the seminary des Vertus, where he died on the 30th of January 1676, at the age of eighty-two, after the sacraments of the church had been administered to him. Father Simon says, that when he was importuned in his last moments to retract the opinion which he had formed respecting the Predamites, his answer was, Hi quæcunque ignorant blasphemant. His having no fixed opinions in religion is supposed to have proceeded more from a peculiar turn of mind than from corruption of heart; for good nature, simplicity of manners, and humanity, were the leading attributes of his character. "He was," according to Nicéron, "a man of a very equal temper, and most agreeable conversation. He was a little too fond, however, of indulging his wit, which sometimes bordered on raillery; but he took care never to hurt or wound the feelings of his neighbour. His learning was extremely limited. He knew nothing either of Greek or of Hebrew, and yet he even ventured to give a new interpretation of several passages in the sacred volume. He prided himself upon his knowledge of the Latin; but, excepting a few poets which he had read, he was by no means an adept in that language. His style is very unequal; sometimes swelling and pompous, at other times low and grovelling." Besides the work already mentioned, he has left behind him, 1. a treatise entitled Du Rappel de Juifs, 1643, in 8vo; 2. an Account of Greenland, 1647, in 8vo; 3. an Account of Iceland, 1663, in 8vo; 4. a Letter to Philotimus, 1658, in 8vo, in which he explains the reasons of his recantation.