PELLISSON-FONTANIER, PAUL, was born at Beziers in 1624, and after studying with success the Latin, Greek, French, Spanish, and Italian languages, he applied himself to law at Castres, and subsequently to general literature at Paris. In 1652 he purchased the post of secretary to the king; and five years afterwards became first deputy to M. Fouquet. He suffered by the disgrace of that minister; and in 1661 was confined in the Bastille, whence he was not discharged till four years afterwards. During his confinement he applied himself to the study of religious controversy; and in 1670 he abjured the Protestant religion. Louis XIV. bestowed upon him an annual pension of two thousand crowns, besides bestowing on him numerous marks of royal favour. Having taken orders, he, in 1676, received the abbey of Gimont, and some years afterwards the priory of St Orens in Auch. He died in 1693.
The best remembered work of this once popular writer is a diffuse Histoire de l'Académie Française, Paris, 1653. The best edition is Olivier's, Paris, 1730. He also wrote a courtly Histoire de Louis XIV., Paris, 3 vols., 1749; a panegyric entitled Abrége de la Vie d'Anne d'Autriche, 1655; a Histoire de la Conquête de la Franche Comté, in 1668, given in the seventh vol. of the Mémoires de Father Desmolets; Lettres Historiques et Œuvres Diverses, Paris, 3 vols., 1749; Recueil des Pièces Galantes, 5 vols., 1695; Réflexions sur les Différends de la Religion, 4 vols., 1687, in which the author attempts a reply to Julien and Leibnitz on religious toleration; also an unfinished Traité de l'Eucharistie. Other issues of his works are Œuvres Diverses de Pellisson, 3 vols., Paris, 1739; and Œuvres Choisies de Pellisson, 2 vols., 1805. (See Bayle's Dict.; and De Feller's Dict. Historique.)