François de la, a distinguished French writer, was of noble descent, and was born at Paris in 1588. His attention was early directed by his father to the study of literature, law, and morals. Aided by a tenacious memory and by the power of assiduous application, he became distinguished for his general intelligence, and especially for his intimacy with history. The female wit, Mademoiselle de Gournay, received him into her brilliant circle, and bequeathed to him her library. Although Mothe-le-Vayer had begun to write at an early age, he did not publish any of his works until his forty-eighth year. At length his Discours de la Connaissances d'Humours qui se trouve entre certaines Nations, and his Considerations sur l'Eloquence Francaise, published in 1636 and 1638 respectively, brought him fully before the public. He was admitted into the French Academy in 1639. His next work, De l'Instruction de Monsieur le Dauphin, 4to, 1640, raised him to the height of distinction, since it led to his appointment in 1652 as tutor to the young King Louis XIV. Meanwhile he had become an avowed sceptic, and had published in 1642 a treatise entitled De la Vertu des Païens. On the marriage of his royal pupil in 1660, Mothe-le-Vayer retired from his public office, and gave himself up to his favourite studies. Foreign politics continued till the close of his life to be the subject of his eager attention, and one of his last questions was, "What news of the Great Mogul?" He died in 1672. Mothe-le-Vayer also wrote Jugement sur les Anciens et Principaux Historiens Grecs et Latins, 8vo, 1646; and Du peu de Certitude qu'il y a dans l'Histoire, 1668. The best edition of his collected works is that of Dresden, in 14 vols. 8vo, 1756–59.