(James), an eminent French writer on the subject of trade, was born at Done in Anjou, in 1622. Being bred to merchandise, he continued in trade until 1658; when he left off the practice, to cultivate the theory. He had married in 1650; and in 1660, when the king declared a purpose of assigning privileges and persons to each of his subjects as had twelve children alive, Mr Savary was not too rich to put in his claim to the royal bounty. He was afterwards admitted of the council for the reformation of commerce; and the orders which passed in 1670 were drawn up by his instructions and advice. He wrote Le Parfait Négociant, 4to; and, Avis et Conseils sur les plus importantes matières du Commerce, in 4to. He died in 1690; and out of 17 children whom he had by one wife, left 11. Two of his sons, James and Philemon Lewis, laboured jointly on a great work, Dictionnaire Universel du Commerce, 2 vols folio: this work was begun by James, who was inspector-general of the manufactures at the custom-house, Paris; who called in the assistance of his brother Philemon Lewis, although a canon of the royal church of St Maur; and by his death left him to finish it. This work appeared in 1723, and Philemon afterwards added a third supplemental volume to the former. Postlethwayte's English Dictionary of Trade and Commerce is a translation, with considerable improvements, from Savary.