HENRI DE, or Henricus Valesius, one of the last of the race of eminent scholars of the seventeenth century in France, was born at Paris, of a noble family of Normandy, on the 10th of September 1603. He studied with great distinction at the Jesuits' college in Verdun, and the college of Clermont in Paris, when he went to Bourges to study jurisprudence. Betaking himself at first to the law, he found that pursuit very distasteful to him, and at length gave it up for ever for his darling occupation of letters. He worked with so much assiduity that he lost the use of his right eye, and considerably impaired the sight of his left one. On his father's death in 1659, he was placed in comparatively independent circumstances. By this time he had gained a great reputation both as a scholar and as a critic, and the French clergy applied to him to bring out a new edition of the Greek ecclesiastical historians,—a request with which he ultimately complied. Cardinal Mazarin bestowed upon him an annual pension, and obtained for him the post of historiographer to the king. But the unbroken application of long years had greatly weakened his frame; he became completely blind, and died on the 7th of May 1676.

The temper of De Valois was harsh and imperious. He could brook no slight, and resented every appearance of disrespect. His retired habits greatly increased this weakness, which is almost the legitimate inheritance of recluse scholars. De Valois wrote critical and explanatory notes to a host of ancient authors; but his greatest work was the Greek Ecclesiastical Historians, in 3 vols. 1659-1673. The life of this great scholar was written by his brother Adrian.