(Nicholas), Sieur d'Ablancourt, one of the first geniuses of his age, was born at Chalons in 1606. After studying philosophy about three years, he was sent to Paris to follow the law. At eighteen years of age he was admitted advocate of parliament, and frequented the bar; but he soon conceived a distaste for it, and therefore discontinued his practice. This displeased an uncle, but whose favour he recovered by quitting the Protestant religion. He could not, however, be prevailed upon to take orders in the Roman church; and some years after, he had a desire to return to the religion he had abjured. But, that he might not do anything rashly, he resolved to study philosophy and divinity. For that purpose he chose for his master Mr Stuart a Scotsman and Lutheran, a man of great learning. Almost three years he spent in the most assiduous study; and then set out from Paris to Champagne, where he abjured the Roman Catholic, and once more embraced the Protestant religion. In 1627 he was admitted a member of the French academy; a little after which, he undertook a translation of Tacitus. Whilst he was engaged in that laborious task, he retired to his small estate of Ablancourt, and lived there till his death, in 1664. He was a man of fine understanding, of great piety and integrity, and of universal learning. Moreri has given a catalogue of his works, the greatest part of which consist of translations, which seemed rather originals.