(Giles), in Latin Ægidius, a celebrated French writer, born at Angers in 1613. He finished his studies in that city, was made advocate, and pleaded for some time at Angers, Paris, and Poitiers; but becoming at length disgusted with the bar, turned ecclesiastic, and gave himself up entirely to the study of polite literature. He at length entered into the family of the cardinal de Retz; but disagreeing with some persons belonging to his eminence, went to live in the cloister of Notre Dame, where he held an assembly of learned men every Wednesday. He read a great deal; had a prodigious memory; and was incessantly quoting in his conversation, verses in Greek, Latin, Italian, French, &c. on which account he was often turned into ridicule by the wits, especially towards the end of his days. His great memory he retained even in his old age; and what is very rare, it returned to him after some interruption. The reputation of his works procured him a place in the academy della Crusca at Florence. He might have been a member of the French academy at its first institution, if it had not been for his Requête des Dictionnaires: but when that was forgot, he was proposed in 1684 to fill up a vacant place in that academy, and was excluded only by the superior interest of his competitor Mr Bergent; for there was not one member of all those who gave their votes against him, but owned that he deserved the place. He would not suffer his friends to propose him again. He died at Paris in 1692, aged 79. He wrote a great number of books in prose and verse; the principal of which are, 1. Miscellaneous works. 2. The Origin of the French Language. 3. The Origin of the Italian Tongue; the best edition of which is that of Geneva, in 1685, folio. 4. An edition of Malherbe's Poems, with Notes. 5. An edition of Diogenes Laertius, with Observations. 6. Remarks on the French Tongue. 7. Greek, Latin, Italian, and French poems.