(Melchier de), an excellent French genius and a cardinal, born of an ancient and noble family at Puy, the capital of Velay, in 1662. He was sent by Lewis XIV. ambassador extraordinary to Poland, where, on the death of Sobieski, he formed a project of procuring the election of the prince of Conti. But failing, he returned home under some disgrace; but when restored to favour, he was sent to Rome as auditor of the Rota. He was plenipotentiary during the congress at Utrecht, at which time Clement I. created him a cardinal; and upon the accession of Lewis XV. he was appointed to reside at Rome as minister of France. He remained there till the year 1732, and died in the 1741. He left behind him a MS. poem intitled Anti-Lucrétius, seu De Deo et Natura; the plan of which he is said to have formed in Holland, in a conversation with Mr Bayle: this celebrated poem was first published in the year 1749, and has since been several times printed in other countries besides France.