ALEXANDER VIII. (Pietro Otto boni), Pope from 1689 to 1691, was born in r 6 i o of a noble Vene tian family, was created cardinal, and then successively bishop of Brescia and datary. The ambas sador of Louis XIV. succeeded in procuring his election, Oct. 6, 1689, as successor to Innocent XI. ; nevertheless, after months of negotiation Alexander finally con demned the declaration made in 1682 by the French clergy con cerning the liberties of the Galli can church. Charities on a large scale and unbounded nepotism ex hausted the papal treasury. He bought the books and manu scripts of Queen Christina of Sweden for the Vatican library. Alexander condemned in 1690 the doctrines of so-called phil osophic sin, taught in the Jesuit schools. He died on Feb. i, 1691.