ISMAEL, an eminent astronomer, was born at Laon in the Isle of France in 1605. He travelled in his youth for the sake of improvement; and afterwards published several works, among which are,

1. De natura lucis. 2. Philolaus. 3. Astronomia philolaica, opus novum, in quo motus planetarum per novam et veram hypothesen demonstrantur. 4. Astronomicae philolaicae fundamenta clariss explicate et asserta adversus Zethi Wardi impugnationem. He also wrote a piece or two upon geometry and arithmetic. In 1661, he paid Hevelius a visit at Dantzig, for the sake of seeing his optical and astronomical apparatus. Afterwards he became a presbyter at Paris, and died there in 1694.