(Claude Gaspard Basset Sieur de), one of the most ingenious men of the 17th century, was born at Brie, of an ancient and noble family. He was a good poet in French, Italian, and Latin; an excellent grammarian, a great Greek scholar, and an admirable critic. He was well versed in the controversies, both in philosophy and religion; and was deeply skilled in algebra and geometry, of which last he gave proof by publishing the six books of Diophantus, enriched with a very able Commentary and Notes. In his youth he spent a considerable time at Paris and at Rome: at which last place he wrote a small collection of Italian poems, in competition with Vaugelas, who was there at the same time; among which there are imitations of the most beautiful families contained in the eight first books of the Æneid. He also translated Ovid's Epistles; a great part of which he illustrated with very curious Commentaries of his own. While he was at Paris, they talked of making him preceptor of Lewis XIII.: upon which he left the court in great haste, and afterwards declared that he had never felt so much pain upon any occasion of his life; for he seemed to have already upon his shoulders the important weight of the whole kingdom. He undertook the translation of all Plutarch's works, with notes; which he had brought nearly to a conclusion, when he died at Bourg, in Brie, anno 1638, at 45 years of age. He left behind him several finished works, that were not printed.