NOEL ANTOINE, a celebrated French writer, was born at Rheims in 1688; and having distinguished himself by his engaging manners and proficiency in the belles lettres, was appointed professor of humanity in the university of that city. Two years afterwards he obtained the chair of rhetoric, and was admitted into holy orders. The Bishop of Leon, informed of his talents, conferred upon him the direction of the college of his episcopal city. By his industry and superior knowledge, a proper order and subordination were soon established in it; but some peculiar opinions respecting the affairs of the time disturbed his tranquillity, and obliged him to resign his office. The intendant of Rouen, at the request of the celebrated Rollin, intrusted him with the education of his son. He published Le Spectacle de la Nature, in 9 vols. 12mo; Histoire du Ciel, or History of the Heavens, in 2 vols. 12mo (Voltaire called this work Fable du Ciel); De Linguarum Artificio, a work which he translated under the title of Le Mécanique des Langues, in 12mo; Harmony of the Psalms and the Gospel, or a translation of the Psalms and Hymns of the Church, with notes relative to the Vulgate, the Septuagint, and Hebrew Text, printed at Paris in 1764, in 12mo. In 1749 Abbé Pluche retired to Varenne St Maure, where he gave himself up entirely to devotion and study. He died of apoplexy, on the 20th of November 1761, at the age of seventy-three years.