(Henry), of a noble family in Languedoc, was born at Aramont in the diocese of Uzez, on the 29th of May 1695, and died there on the 27th of December 1771, aged 76. He learned the mathematics without a master, and went to Paris in 1718, where he formed a close friendship with the illustrious Reaumur. Reaumur. In 1724, he was admitted a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, and in a few years rose to the degree of a pensioner. Besides a vast number of Memoirs printed in the collection of that society, he published in 1731 the Theory of the Working of Ships, in one volume 4to; a work of considerable merit, which was translated into English, and made the author be admitted into the Royal Society of London. In 1740, the States-general of Languedoc made choice of him for their chief engineer, and gave him at the same time the appointment of inspector general of the canal which unites the two seas. That province is indebted to him for several monuments of his genius, which will transmit his name with lustre to posterity. The city of Montpellier being in want of water, Pitot brought from the distance of three leagues two springs which furnish a plentiful supply of that necessary article. They are brought to the magnificent Place du Peyron, and thence are distributed through the city. This astonishing work is the admiration of all strangers. The illustrious marshal de Saxe was the great patron and friend of Pitot, who had taught this hero the mathematics. In 1754 he was honoured with the order of St Michael. In 1735 he had married Maria Leonina Pharambier de Sabballoua, descended of a very ancient noble family of Navarre. By this marriage he had only one son, who was first advocate-general of the Court of Accounts, Aids, and Finances of Montpellier. Pitot was a practical philosopher, and a man of uncommon probity and candour. He was also a member of the Royal Society of Sciences of Montpellier; and his eulogium was pronounced in 1772 by M. de Ratte perpetual secretary, in presence of the states of Languedoc; as it likewise was at the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris by Abbé de Fouché, who was then secretary.

PITTS (John), the biographer, was born in 1560, at Aulton in Hampshire, and educated at Wykeham's school, near Winchester; till he was about 18 years of age; when he was sent to New-college in Oxford, and admitted probationer fellow. Having continued in that university not quite two years, he left the kingdom as a voluntary Romish exile, and retired to Douay; thence he went to the English college at Rheims, where he remained about a year; and then proceeded to Rome, where he continued a member of the English college near seven years, and was made a priest. In 1589 he returned to Rheims; and there, during two years, taught rhetoric and the Greek language. He now quitted Rheims on account of the civil war in France; and retired to Pont à Moufflon in Lorrain, where he took the degrees of master of arts and bachelor in divinity. Hence he travelled into Germany, and resided a year and a half at Trier, where he commenced licentiate in his faculty. From Trier he visited several of the principal cities in Germany; and continuing three years at Ingolstadt in Bavaria, took the degree of doctor in divinity. Thence having made the tour of Italy, he returned once more to Lorrain; where he was patronised by the cardinal of that duchy, who preferred him to a canonry of Verdun; and about two years after he became confessor to the duchess of Cleves, daughter to the duke of Lorrain. During the leisure he enjoyed in this employment, he wrote in Latin the lives of the kings, bishops, apostolical men, and writers of England. The last of these, commonly known and quoted by this title, De illustribus Angliae scriptoribus, was published after his death. The three first remain still in manuscript among the archives of the collegiate church of Liverdun. The duke of Cleves dying after Pitts had been about twelve years confessor to the duchess, she returned to Lorrain, attended by our author, who was promoted to the deanery of Liverdun, which, with a canonry and officialship, he enjoyed to the end of his life. He died in 1616, and was buried in the collegiate church. Pitts was undoubtedly a scholar, and not an inelegant writer; but he is justly accused of ingratitude to Bale, from whom he borrowed his materials, without acknowledgment. He quotes Leland with great familiarity, without ever having seen his book; his errors are innumerable, and his partiality to the Romish writers most obvious; nevertheless we are obliged to him for his account of several popish authors, who lived abroad at the beginning of the Reformation.