MARTIN, Louis-Claude de Saint, called the "Unknown Philosopher," was born at Amboise, of a noble family, on the 18th of January 1743. Originally designed for the magistracy, he preferred the profession of arms; and at the age of twenty-two became an officer in the regiment of Foix, and was made a chevalier of St Louis in 1789. His taste for spiritualism induced him to enter the secret school of Martinez Pasqualis, where he had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the theological operations practised at that institution. Though originally disposed to believe in that system, he nevertheless ultimately abandoned its mystical labyrinth for the pursuit of a purer spiritualism. While not embracing all the ideas of J. J. Rousseau, he yet displayed a profound sympathy for that philosopher. But his unhesitating admiration was reserved for the Teutonic philosopher Jacob Boehm, whose singular writings—many of which Saint Martin translated—stamp with a character of originality the illuminism of the early part of the seventeenth century. The Revolution, in its various phases, found Saint Martin always the same. He saw in it the designs of Providence, and recognised equally a predestined instrument in the remarkable man who ultimately put an end to its excesses. Appointed in 1794 to give lectures at the normal schools, Saint Martin publicly refuted with great success the materialism of Garat, professor of mental philosophy at that institution. His life, nevertheless, remained obscure, being known only to a narrow circle of distin-
guished friends, who knew how to appreciate him. It was with one of those, Count Lenoir Laroche, at Aunay, that he died of an attack of apoplexy on the 13th of October 1803.
A Life of the "Unknown Philosopher" was written by M. Gence in 1824. The sect called "Martinists" at the epoch of the Revolution did not receive their name from Saint Martin, as many have supposed, but from his master, Martinez Pasqualis. (Dictionnaire des Sciences Philosophiques.)
The principal works of this eminent mystic are,—Des Erreurs et de la Verité, 1775; Tableau Naturel des Rapports qui Existent entre Dieu, l'Homme, et l'Univers, 1782; Lettre à un Ami sur la Révolution Française, 1795; Éclair sur l'Association Humaine, 1797; Quelles sont les Institutions les plus propres à Fonder la Morale d'un Peuple, 1798; L'Homme de Desir, 1799; Ecco Homo, 1792; Le Nouvel Homme, 1792; De l'Esprit des Choses, 1800; Discours en Réponse au Citoyen Garat, 1802; Le Ministre de l'Homme Esprit, 1802. Also, two volumes of posthumous works, entitled Quelle est la Manière de Rappeler à la Raison les Nations, tant Sauvages que Politiques, qui sont Livrées à l'Erreur ou aux Superstitions de tout Genre? 1807.