James, an eminent French writer on the subject of trade, was born at Dose, in Anjou, in 1622. Being bred to merchandise, he continued in trade until 1638, when he left off the practice, to cultivate the theory. He had married in 1650; and in 1660, when the king declared his purpose of assigning privileges and pensions to such of his subjects as had twelve children alive, Mr Savary was not too rich to put in his claim to the royal bounty. He was afterwards admitted of the council for the reformation of commerce, and the orders which passed in 1670 were drawn up by his instructions and advice. He wrote Le Parfait Négociant, 4to; and Avis et Conseils sur les Importantes Matières du Commerce, in 4to. He died in 1690; and out of seventeen children whom he had by one wife, he left eleven. Two of his sons, James and Philemon Louis, laboured jointly on a great work, Dictionnaire Universelle du Commerçer, in two vols. folio. This work was begun by James, who was inspector-general of the manufactures at the custom-house, Paris, and who called in the assistance of his brother Philemon Louis, although a canon of the royal church of St Maur, and by his death left him to finish it. This work appeared in 1729, and Philemon afterwards added a third supplemental volume. Postlethwayte's English Dictionary of Trade and Commerce is a translation, with considerable improvements, from Savary.

M., an eminent French traveller and writer, was born at Vitre, in Bretagne, about the year 1748. He studied with applause at Rennes, and in 1776 travelled into Egypt, where he remained nearly three years. During this period he was wholly engaged in the study of the Arabian language, in searching out ancient monuments, and in examining the national manners. After making himself acquainted with the knowledge and philosophy of Egypt, he visited the islands in the Archipelago, where he spent eighteen months. On his return to France in the year 1780, he published, 1. A Translation of the Koran, with a short Life of Mohammed, in 1783, two vols. 8vo; 2. The Morality of the Koran, or a Collection of the most excellent Maxims in the Koran, in three vols. 8vo, in 1785. In these the author makes his observations with accuracy, paints with vivacity, and renders interesting everything he relates. His descriptions are in general faithful, but are perhaps in some instances too much ornamented. He has been justly censured for painting modern Egypt and its inhabitants in too high colours. He died on the 4th of February 1788.