ESPIRIT, bishop of Nismes, one of the most celebrated preachers of his age, and author of a number of works, was born at Pernes, a small town in the diocese of Carpentras, on the 10th of June 1632, and educated under the eye of his uncle, Father Audifret, general of the congregation of Christian doctrine, a learned and estimable man. According to the constitution of the congregation, Fléchier, having completed his own education, was immediately employed in teaching. In 1659, when only twenty-seven, he professed rhetoric at Narbonne, and there pronounced the funeral oration of M. de Rebe, archbishop of that city, which, however, is not to be found in his collected works, probably because it was deemed unworthy of the reputation which he subsequently acquired. A few months afterwards, on the death of Audifret, followed as it was by some changes in the government of the congregation, which he did not relish, Fléchier laid aside the habit of the doctrinaires, and proceeded to Paris, where he was at first employed in the humble occupation of a parochial catechist; but he soon made himself known by his Latin and French poetry, and particularly by a description in Latin verse of the brilliant carousal, Circus Regius, given by Louis XIV. in 1692. This was the commencement of Fléchier's reputation. He was now entrusted with the education of Louis de Caumartin, the father of his pupil, was then frequented by the most considerable personages both of the court and the city, Fléchier was thus introduced into the first society, amongst which his talents, amiability, gentleness of demeanour, and regularity of manners, soon procured him many friends. The Duke of Montausier, who was not prodigal of his notice, conceived a great regard for Fléchier, declared himself his patron, and having presented him to the dauphin, procured him the place of reader to that young prince. The sermons of Fléchier increased his reputation, which was afterwards raised to the highest pitch by his funeral orations. Having been chosen to pronounce that of Madame de Montausier, he displayed so great talent on the occasion that his discourse opened to him the doors of the French Academy, into which he was received in 1673, in the room of M. Godeau, bishop of Venice. He was admitted the same day with Racine, and having precedence in addressing the Academy, his discourse was warmly applauded; the great poet however was less fortunate than the orator, for his address being scarcely audible, was coldly received and unfavourably judged of; so much is chance concerned even in the success of eminent merit. The favours of the court now flowed upon Fléchier. The king gave him successively the abbey of St Leverin, in the diocese of Poitiers, the office of almoner to the dauphiness, and, in 1685, the bishopric of Lavaur, accompanying his kindness with the most flattering expressions of favour and regard. "I have made you wait a little for a place which you have long merited," said the monarch; "but I did not wish to deprive myself sooner of the pleasure of hearing you." From the see of Lavaur Fléchier was, in 1687, translated to that of Nismes, which was more valuable, and also accounted more honourable. His own wish was to remain at Lavaur; but the king overcame his repugnance to the proposed translation by making him sensible that he would be more useful to the church at Nismes than at Lavaur, and that in the former place there was more labour to be performed and more good to be done. In fact the Calvinists were very numerous at Nismes; and although several had made abjuration, their conversion was at best but equivocal. But Fléchier, by his prudent conduct, in which zeal was tempered by charity, brought back the greater number of these sectaries to the bosom of the church, and made himself esteemed and beloved even by those who declined to abjure their faith. During the troubles in the Cevennes he softened, as much as in him lay, the rigour of the edicts, and showed himself so sensible of the evils of persecution, and so indulgent even to what he regarded as error, that his memory is, even at this day, held in veneration amongst the Protestants of that district. In the famine which succeeded the winter of 1709, he distributed immense sums, making no distinction between Catholics and Protestants; all were his children, and all shared his beneficence in proportion to their respective wants. He also published an eloquent pastoral letter on the subject of a cross of St Gervais, which, it was pretended, worked miracles, and warned his flock against those lying wonders, by which the credulity of the people has frequently been abused. This appears to have been amongst his last efforts in the cause of truth and religion. The good bishop, indeed, foresaw that his end was now approaching; and, having prepared for himself a humble tomb, he died at