popularly Spittal, a place or building erected, out of charity, for the reception and support of the poor, aged, infirm, sick, and otherwise helpless. The word is formed of the Latin hospes, "host, stranger." See Host.

In the ages of the church, the bishop had the immediate charge of all the poor, both found and diseased, as also of widows, orphans, strangers, &c.—When the churches came to have fixed revenues allotted them, it was decreed, that at least one fourth part thereof should go to the relief of the poor; and to provide for them the more commodiously, divers houses of charity were built, which are since denominated hospitals. They were governed wholly by the priests and deacons, under the inspection of the bishop. In course of time, separate revenues were assigned for the hospitals; and particular persons, out of motives of piety and charity, gave lands and money for erecting hospitals. When the church discipline began to relax, the priests, who till then had been the administrators of hospitals, converted them into a sort of benefices, which they held at pleasure, without giving account thereof to any body; reserving the greatest part of the income to their own use; so that the intentions of the founders were frustrated.—To remove this abuse, the council of Vienne expressly prohibited the giving any hospital to secular priests in the way of a benefice; and directed the administration thereof to be given to sufficient and responsible laymen, who should take an oath, like that of tutors, for the faithful discharge thereof, and be accountable to the ordinaries.—This decree was executed and confirmed by the council of Trent.

In Britain, hospitals are buildings properly endowed, or otherwise supported by charitable contributions, for the reception and support of the poor, aged, infirm, sick, or helpless.

A charitable foundation laid thus for the sustenance and relief of the poor, is to continue for ever. Any person seized of an estate in fee, may, by deed enrolled in chancery, erect and found an hospital, and nominate such heads and governors therein as he shall think fit; and this charitable foundation shall be incorporated, and subject to the inspection and guidance of the heads and visitors nominated by the founder. Likewise such corporations shall have, take, and purchase lands, so as not to exceed £200l. a year, provided the fame be not held of the king; and to make leases, reverting the accustomed yearly rent. See Corporation.

(Michael de l'), chancellor of France in the 16th century, was one of the greatest men of his age, and had raised himself by degrees. He agreed to an edict much severer against the Protestants than he could have wished, to prevent the introduction of the inquisition. It was that of Romorantin. The speeches he made, in order to inspire a spirit of toleration, made him much suspected by the Roman Catholics, and extremely odious to the court of Rome. The maxims of state upon which he regulated himself were of great advantage to France, since he formed some disciples who opposed, in proper time, the pernicious attempts of the leaguers, and rendered them abortive.—His pacific views being disliked by Catharine de Medicis, who had contributed to his advancement, she excluded him from the council of war, and occasioned his disgrace. He retired, however, of his own accord, in 1568; and spent the rest of his life at his country-seat at Vignai, where he died in 1573, aged 68. His poems are esteemed. He also published some excellent speeches and memoirs.

(William-Francis-Antony, marquis of), a great mathematician of France, was born of an ancient family in 1661. He was a geometrician almost from his infancy; for one day being at the duke of Rohan's, where some able mathematicians were speaking of a problem of Pafchel's which appeared to them extremely difficult, he ventured to say, that he believed he could solve it. They were amazed at such presumption in a boy of 15, for he was then no more; nevertheless, in a few days he sent them the solution. He entered early into the army, and was a captain of horse; but being extremely short-sighted, and exposed on that account to perpetual inconveniences and errors, he at length quitted the army, and applied himself entirely to his favourite amusement. He contracted a friendship with Malbranche, and took his opinion upon all occasions. In 1693, he was received an honorary member of the academy of sciences at Paris; and he published a work upon Sir Isaac Newton's calculations, intitled, L'Analyse des infiniment petits. He was the first in France who wrote upon this subject; and on this account was regarded almost as a prodigy. He engaged afterwards in another work of the mathematical kind, in which he included Les Sections Coniques, les Lieux Geometriques, la Construction des Equations, et Une Theorie des Courbes Mechaniques; but a little before he had finished it, he was seized with a fever, of which he died Feb. 2, 1704, aged 43. It was published after his death.