BERNARD, James, professor of philosophy and mathematics, and minister of the Walloon church at Leyden, was born at Nions, in Dauphiné, September 1. 1658. Having studied at Geneva, he returned to France in 1679, and was chosen minister of Venterol, in Dauphiné, whence he was
removed to the church of Vinsobres. The persecution against the Protestants obliging him to abandon his native country, he retired to Holland, where he was well received, and appointed one of the pensionary ministers of Gauda. In July 1686 he commenced his Histoire Abrégée de l'Europe, which he continued monthly till December 1688. In 1692 he began his Lettres Historiques, containing an account of the most important transactions in Europe; and he carried on this work till the end of 1698. It was afterwards continued by other hands, and consists of a great number of volumes. When Le Clerc discontinued his Bibliothèque Universelle in 1691, Bernard wrote the greater part of the twentieth volume, and the five following volumes. In 1698 he collected and published Actes et Négociations de la Paix de Ryswic, in four volumes 12mo. In 1699 he began the Nouvelles de la République des Lettres, which continued till December 1710. Having acquired great reputation by his works, as well as by his sermons at Gauda and the Hague, he was unanimously elected in 1705 one of the ministers of the Walloon church at Leyden. About the same time he succeeded M. de Valder in the chair of philosophy and mathematics at Leyden; and the university presented him with the degrees of doctor in philosophy and master of arts. In 1716 he published a supplement to Moreri's Dictionary, in two volumes folio. The same year he resumed his Nouvelles de la République des Lettres, and continued it till his death, which happened on the 27th of April 1718. Besides the works above mentioned, he was the author of two excellent treatises, one on a late repentance, the other on the excellency of religion.