CHARLES JOHN FRANCIS, an ingenious French writer, was the son of John Remi Henault lord of Moufy, and was born at Paris in 1685. He early discovered a frightly benevolent disposition, and his penetration and aptness soon distinguished itself by the success of his studies. Claude de Lille, father of the celebrated geographer, gave him the same lessons in geography and history which he had before given to the duke of Orleans, afterwards regent; and which have been printed in seven volumes, under the title of "Abridgement of Universal History." On quitting college, Henault entered the Oratory, where he soon attached himself to the study of eloquence; and, on the death of the abbé Rene, reformer of La Trappe, he undertook to pronounce his panegyric; which not meet- ing the approbation of Father Maffilon, he quitted the Oratory after two years, and his father bought for him, of Marchal Villeroi, the "lieutenance des chasses," and the government of Corbeil. At the marshal's he formed connexions, and even intimate friendships, with many of the nobility, and passed the early part of his life in agreeable amusements, and in the liveliest company, without having his religious sentiments tainted. He associated with the wits till the dispute between Rousseau and de la Motte soon gave him a disgust for these trifling societies. In 1707, he gained the prize of eloquence at the French academy; and another next year at the academy des Jeux Floraux. About this time M. Reaumur, who was his relation, came to Paris, and took lessons in geometry under the same master, Guinée. Henault introduced him to the abbé Bignon, and this was the first step of his illustrious course. In 1713 he brought a tragedy on the stage, under the disguised name of Tufcier. As he was known to the public only by some lighter pieces, "Cornelia the Veftal" met with no better success. He therefore locked it up without printing. In his old age his passion for these subjects reviving, and Mr Horace Walpole being at Paris in 1768, and having formed a friendship with him as one of the most amiable men of his nation, obtained this piece, and had it printed at his own prels. In 1751 M. Henault, under a borrowed name, brought out a second tragedy, intitled, "Marius," which was well received and printed. He had been admitted counsellor in parliament in 1756, with a dispensation on account of age; and in 1710 president of the first chamber of inquests. These important places, which he determined to fill in a becoming manner, engaged him in the most solid studies. The excellent work of M. Domat charmed him, and made him eager to go back to the fountain head. He spent several years in making himself master of the Roman law, the ordonnances of the French kings, their customs, and public law. M. de Morville, procureur-general of the great council, being appointed ambassador to the Hague in 1718, engaged M. Henault to accompany him. His personal merit soon introduced him to the acquaintance of the most eminent personages at that time there. The grand penionary, Heinius, who, under the exterior of Lacedemonian simplicity, kept up all the haughtiness of that people, left with him all that hauteur which France itself had experienced from him in the negociations of the treaty of Utrecht. The agitation which all France felt by Law's system, and the consequent sending of the parliament into exile, was a trial to the wise policy of the president Henault. His friendship for the first president, De Mefmes, led him to second all the views of that great magistrate: he took part in all the negociations, and was animated purely by the public good, without any private advantage. On the death of the cardinal du Bois, in 1732, he succeeded in his place at the French academy. Cardinal Fleury recommended him to succeed himself as director, and he pronounced the eulog of M. de Malezieux.

History was M. Henault's favourite study: not a bare collection of dates, but a knowledge of the laws and manners of nations; to obtain which he drew instruction from private conversations, a method he so strongly recommends in his preface. After having thus discussed the most important points of our public law, he undertook to collect and publish the result of his inquiries, and he is deservedly accounted the first francer of chronological abridgements: in which, without stopping at detached facts, he attends only to those which form a chain of events that perfect or alter the government and character of a nation, and traces only the springs which exalt or humble a nation, extending or contracting the space it occupies in the world. His work has had the fortune of those literary phenomena, where novelty and merit united excite minds eager after glory, and fire the ardour of young writers to press after a guide whom few can overtake. The first edition of the work, the result of 40 years reading, appeared in 1744, under the auspices of the chancellor Daguefeau, with the modest title of an Essay. The success it met with surprised him. He made continual improvements in it, and it has gone through nine editions, and been translated into Italian, English, and German, and even into Chinese. As the best writings are not secure from criticism, and are indeed the only ones that deserve it, the author read to the academy of Belles Lettres a defence of his abridgement. All the ages and events of the French monarchy being present to his mind, and his imagination and memory being a vast theatre wherein he beheld the different movements and parts of the actors in the several revolutions, he determined to give a specimen of what passed in his own mind, and to reduce into the form of a regular drama one of the periods of French history, the reign of Francis II. which, though happy only by being short, appeared to him one of the most important by its consequences, and most easy to be confined within the stage bounds. His friend the chancellor highly approved the plan, and wished it to be printed. It accordingly went through five editions; the harmony of dates and facts is exactly observed in it, and the passions intercrossed without offence to historic truth.

In 1755, he was chosen an honorary member of the academy of Belles Lettres, being then a member of the academies of Nanci, Berlin, and Stockholm. The queen appointed him superintendent of her house. His natural frightfulness relieved her from the tedious attendance on his private morning lectures. The company of persons most distinguished by their wit and birth, a table more celebrated for the choice of the guests than its delicacies, the little comedies suggested by wit, and executed by reflections, united at his house all the pleasures of an agreeable and innocent life. All the members of this ingenious society contributed to render it agreeable, and the president was not behind any. He composed three comedies: La Petite Maison, La Jaloux de Soi-meme, and La Reveil d'Epimene. The subject of the last was the Cretan philosopher, who is pretended to have slept 27 years. He is introduced fancying that he had slept but one night, and astonished at the change in the age of all around him: he mistakes his mistress for his mother; but discovering his mistake, offers to marry her, which she refuses, though he still continues to love her. The queen was particularly pleased with this piece. She ordered the president to restore the philosopher's mistress to her former youth: he introduced Hecbe, and this episode produced an agreeable entertainment. He was now in such favour with her majesty, that on the place of superintendent becoming vacant by the death of M. Bernard de Con- bert master of requests, and the sum he had paid for it being lost to his family, Henault solicited it in favour of several persons, till at last the queen bestowed it on himself, and consented that he should divide the profits with his predecessor's widow. On the queen's death he held the same place under the dauphins.

A delicate constitution made him liable to much illness; which, however, did not interrupt the serenity of his mind. He made several journeys to the waters of Plombieres: in one of these he visited the deposed king Stanislaus at Luneville; and in another accompanied his friend the marquis de Paulyne, ambassador to Switzerland. In 1763 he drew near his end. One morning, after a quiet night, he felt an oppression, which the faculty pronounced a suffocating cough. His con- sessor being sent to him, he formed his resolution without alarm. He has since said, that he recollected having then said to himself, "What do I regret?" and called to mind that saying of Madame de Sevigne, "I leave here only dying creatures." He received the sacraments. It was believed the next night would be his last; but by noon next day he was out of danger. "Now (said he) I know what death is. It will not be new to me any more." He never forgot it during the following seven years of his life, which, like all the rest, were gentle and calm. Full of gratitude for the favours of providence, resigned to its decrees, offering to the Author of his being a pure and sincere devotion; he felt his infirmities without complaining, and perceived a gradual decay with unabated firmness. He died Dec. 24, 1771, in his 86th year. He married in 1714 a daughter of M. le Bas de Montargis keeper of the royal treasure, &c. who died in 1728 without leaving any issue.