CHRISTOPHER L.E., a painter of portraits in miniature, and all kinds of subjects, on paper, was born in 1670. Very few circumstances relative to his education or life are mentioned by any writers till he became known at Rome in the year 1716, being at that time painter to the Count Martinetz, ambassador at the court of Rome. By the solicitation of Overbeke he was induced to go to Amsterdam, and in that city he was employed in painting small portraits for bracelets, rings, and snuff-boxes, of all which, although done in water-colours, the colouring was as lively and natural as if they had been painted in oil. But as he found his sight much impaired by the minuteness of his work, he discontinued water-colour painting, and attempted the use of oil with a reasonable degree of success. After he had resided for some years in the Low Countries he came to England, and set up a new method of printing mezzotinto plates in colours, so as to imitate the pictures of which they were copies. In this manner he executed in England several large plates, from pictures of the greatest masters, and disposed of the prints by lottery. But those who obtained the prizes, Mr Strutt says, appear not to have held them in any very great estimation. His method consisted in having several mezzotinto plates for one piece, each expressing different shades and parts of the piece in different colours. He was not, however, the original inventor of that manner of managing colours, but borrowed it from Lastman and others, who, with much greater regularity of morals, equal capacity, and more discreet conduct, had before undertaken it without success. Le Blond, whose head was continually full of schemes, next set on foot a project for copying the cartoons of Raphael in tapestry, and made drawings from the pictures for that purpose. Houses were built and looms erected at the Mulberry Ground at Chelsea; but the expenses proving too great, or the contributions not being equal to the first expectations, the scheme was suddenly defeated, and Le Blond disappeared, to the no small dissatisfaction of those who were engaged with him. He proceeded to Paris, where Basan informs us he resided in the year 1737, and where he died in 1740, in an hospital. Le Blond was also author of a treatise in French on ideal beauty. It was published in 1732, and has since been translated into English.

BLONDEL, DAVID, a Protestant minister, distinguished by his skill in ecclesiastical and civil history, was born at Chalons-sur-Marne, and was admitted minister at a synod of the Isle of France in 1614. He wrote, 1. A Defence of the Reformed Churches of France; 2. A work against the Decretal Epistles; 3. De Episcopis et Presbyteris; and other pieces. Bayle informs us that he had a very singular way of studying. He lay on the ground, and had around him the books which he wanted for the work he was composing. He died in 1665, aged sixty-four.

FRANCIS, regius professor of mathematics and architecture, was employed in several negotiations; arrived at the dignity of maréchal-de-camp and counsellor of state; and had the honour of being chosen to teach the dauphin of France mathematics. He was also made member of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, and director of the Academy of Architecture. He died at Paris in 1688, aged sixty-eight. His principal productions were, 1. Notes on the Architecture of Savot; 2. A Course of Architecture and Mathematics; 3. The Art of Throwing Bombs; 4. A new Manner of Fortifying Places; 5. A Comparison between Pindar and Horace; and other works.