John Baptist, marquis of Segnei, one of the greatest statesmen that France ever had, was born at Paris in 1619; and descended from a family that lived at Rheims in Champagne, no way considerable for its splendour and antiquity. His grandfather is said to have been a wine merchant, and Colbert's father at first followed the same occupation; but afterwards became clerk to a notary. In 1648, his relation John Baptist Colbert, lord of S. Pouange, preferred him to the service of Michael le Tellier, secretary of state, whose sister he had married; and here he discovered such diligence, and exactness in executing all the commissions that were entrusted to his care, that he quickly grew distinguished. One day his master sent him to Cardinal Mazarine, who was then at Sedan, with a letter written by the queen-mother; and ordered him to bring it back, after that minister had seen it. Colbert carried the letter, and would not return without it, though the cardinal treated him roughly, used several arts to deceive him, and obliged him to wait for it several days. Some time after, the cardinal returning to court, and wanting one to write his agenda or memoranda, desired Le Tellier to furnish him with a fit person for that employment: and Colbert being presented to him, the cardinal had some remembrance of him, and desired to know where he had been. Colbert was afraid of putting him in mind of Sedan, lest the remembrance of his importunity, in demanding the queen's letter, should renew the cardinal's anger. But his eminency was so far from hating him for his faithfulness to his late master, that he received him, on condition that he should serve him with the like zeal and fidelity.

Colbert applied himself wholly to the advancement of his master's interests, and gave him so many marks of his diligence and skill, that afterwards he made him his intendant. He accommodated himself so dextrously to the inclinations of that minister, by retrenching his superfluous expenses, that he was entrusted with the management of that gainful trade of selling benefices and governments. It was by Colbert's counsel, that the cardinal obliged the governors of frontier places to maintain their garrisons with the contributions they exacted; with which advice his eminency was extremely pleased. He was sent to Rome to negotiate the reconciliation of Cardinal de Rets, for which the pope had showed some concern; and to persuade his holiness to consent to the disencumbering of Castro, according to the treaty concluded with his predecessor Urban VIII. Upon the whole, Mazarine had so high an opinion of Colbert's abilities, and withal such a regard for his faithful services, that at his death, which happened in 1661, he earnestly recommended him to Louis XIV, as the properest person to regulate the finances, which at that time stood in much need of reformation. Louis accepted the recommendation, and made Colbert intendant of the finances. He applied himself to their regulation, and succeeded, though it procured him many enemies, and some affronts. France is also obliged to this minister for establishing at that time her trade with the East and West Indies: a great design, and from which she has reaped innumerable advantages.

In 1664, he became superintendent of the buildings; and from that time applied himself so earnestly to the enlarging and adorning of the royal edifices, that they are at present so many masterpieces of architecture: witness the palace of the Tuileries, the Louvre, St Germain, Fontainebleau, and Chambord. As for Versailles, it may be said that he raised it from the ground. It was formerly a dog-kennel, where Louis XIII. kept his hunting furniture; it is now a palace fit for the greatest monarch. But royal palaces were not Colbert's only care: he formed several designs for increasing the beauty and convenience of the capital city, and he did it with great magnificence and grandeur. The public was obliged to this same minister for the establishment of the academy for painting and sculpture in 1664. The king's painters and sculptors, with other skilful professors of those arts, being prosecuted at law by the master-painters at Paris, joined together, and began to form a society, under the name of the Royal Academy for Sculpture and Painting. Their design was to keep public exercises, for the sake of improving those fine arts, and advancing them to the highest degree of perfection. They put themselves under the protection of Mazarine, and chose Chancellor Seguier their vice-protector; and after Mazarine's death chose Seguier their protector, and Colbert their vice-protector. It was at his solicitation that they were finally established by a patent, containing new privileges, in 1664. Colbert, being made protector after the death of Seguier, thought fit that a historiographer should be appointed, whose business it should be to collect all curious and useful observations that might be made at their conferences. This was accordingly done; and his majesty was pleased to settle on him a salary of 300 livres. To Colbert also the lovers of naval knowledge are obliged for the erection of the Academy of Sciences, for the making of which the more useful, he caused to be erected, in 1667, the royal observatory at Paris, which was first inhabited by Cassini. But these are not the only obligations France has to that minister. She owes to him all the advantages she receives by the union of the two seas; a prodigious work, begun in 1666 and finished in 1680. Colbert was also very intent upon matters of a more private nature, such as regarded the order, decency, and well-being of society. He undertook to reform the courts of justice, and to put a stop to the usurpation of noble titles, which it seems was then very common in France. In the former of these attempts he failed, in the latter he succeeded.

In 1669, he was made secretary of state, and entrusted with the management of affairs relating to the sea; and his performances in this province were answerable to the confidence his majesty reposed in him. He suppressed several offices, which were chargeable, but useless; and in the mean time, perceiving the king's zeal for the extirpation of heresy, he shut up the chamber instituted by the edicts of Paris and Roan. He proposed several new regulations concerning criminal courts, and was extremely severe with the parliament of Thoulouse for obstructing the measures he took to carry the same into execution. His main design in reforming the tedious methods of proceeding at law, was to give the people more leisure to apply themselves to trading; for the advancement of which he procured an edict, to erect a general insurance-office at Paris, for merchants, &c. In 1672, he was made minister of state; for how busied soever he was in the regulation of public affairs, yet he never neglected his own or his family's interest and grandeur, or missed any opportunity of advancing either. He had been married many years, had sons and daughters grown up, all of which, as occasion served, he took care to marry to great persons. For though he had no reason to doubt of his master's favour, yet he wisely secured his fortune by powerful alliances. However, business was certainly Colbert's natural turn, and he not only loved it, but was very impatient to be interrupted in it, as the following anecdote may serve to show. A lady of great quality was one day urging him, when he was in the height of his power, to do her some piece of service, and perceiving him inattentive and inflexible, threw herself at his feet, in the presence of above 100 persons, crying, "I beg your greatness, in the name of God, to grant me this favour." Upon which Colbert, kneeling down over against her, replied, in the same mournful tone, "I conjure you, madam, in the name of God, not to disturb me."

This great minister died of the stone, September 6, 1683, in his 65th year, leaving behind him six sons and three daughters. He was of a middle stature, rather lean than fat. His mien was low and dejected, his air gloomy, and his aspect stern. He slept little, and was very sober. Though naturally four and morose, he knew how to act the lover, and had mistresses. He was of a slow conception, but spoke judiciously of every thing after he had once comprehended it. He understood business perfectly well, and he pursued it with unrestrained application. Thus he filled the most important places with high reputation and credit; and his influence diffused itself through every part of the government. He restored the finances, the navy, the commerce; and he erected those various works of art, which have ever since been monuments of his taste and magnificence. He was a lover of learning, though he never applied to it himself; and therefore conferred donations and pensions upon scholars in other countries, while he established and protected academies in his own. He invited into France painters, statuaries, mathematicians, and artists of all kinds, who were any way eminent, thus giving new life to the sciences, and making them flourish, as they did, exceedingly. Upon the whole, he was a wise, active, generous-spirited minister; ever attentive to the interests of his master, the happiness of the people, the progress of arts and manufactures, and in short to every thing that could advance the credit and interest of his country. He was a pattern for all ministers of state; and every nation may wish themselves blessed with a Colbert.