Peter Carlet de, a French writer in the dramatic way and in romance, was born of a good family at Paris in 1688. A fine understanding, well improved by education, distinguished him early. His first object was the theatre, where he met with the highest success in comic productions; and these, with the merit of his other works, procured him a place in the French academy. The great characteristic of both his comedies and romances was, to convey an useful moral under the veil of wit and sentiment: "My only object (says he) is to make men more just and more humane;" and he was as amiable in his life and conversation as he was in his writings. He died at Paris in 1763, aged 75. His works consist of:

1. Pieces de Theatre, 4 vols. 12mo. 2. Homere travesti, 12mo; which is not supposed to have done much honour to his tale. 3. Le Spectateur Francais, 2 vols. 12mo. 4. Le Philosophe Indigent, 12mo. 5. Vie de Marianne, 2 vols. 12mo; one of the best romances in the French language. 6. Le Payson Parvenu, 12mo. 7. Pharsamon; inferior to the former.