BUAT-NANCAY (Louis GA Rana, Comm, nu), was born of an old family in Normandy, on the 2d of March 1782. At an early age, he entered into the Order of Malta ; and, by a tbrtunate accident, he became acquainted with the Chevalier Folard, author of the Commentaries on Polybius, who received him . into his house, and superintended his education.
Polar(' had a nephew, who was Minister for France at different German Courts, and under whom Bunt studied History and Diplomacy. He was succes .) sively Minister for France at Ratisbon and Dresden ; but afterwards, becoming disgusted with this career, he retired from public life, in the year 1776. He died at Nancay, in Berry, on the 18th of September 1787.
Buat was a man of some talents, and considerable literary attainments, but possessing little knowledge of the world ; which circumstance seems to have, in a great measure, disqualified him for public em ployment. He appears to have written with great facility ; but his style is very unequal. His works are r 1. Tableau du Gbuvernement actuel de r Empire magne, translated from the German of Schmauss, with notes historical and critical. Paris, 1755, 12mo.
2. Les Origines, ou P Ancien Gouvernement de la France, de I 'Italie, et de P Allernagne, published at the Hague, 1757, 4 vols. 12mo. 3. Histoire An cienne des Peupks de 'Europe, Paris, 1772, 12 vols. 12mo. ' This is the largest, and perhaps the best work of Bunt. 4. Les Elemens de la Politique, ou Recherches stir la orals Principes de l'Economie So dale, 1778, 6 vols. 8vo. 5. Les Maximes du Gou vernement Monarchigue, pour servir de suite aux Ek mens, 4 vols. 8vo. There is also ascribed to Buat a work entitled Remarques d'un Franyais, ou Examen impartial du livre de M. Necker cur lee Finances, Geneva, 1785, 8vo. In his youth 'he had composed a tragedy, entitled Charlemagne, ou le Triumphe des Lois, published at Vienna, 1764,, 8vo. He likewise contributed several articles to the journals of his time, on different points of history, literature, and political economy ; in particular, some excellent ob servations on the character of Xenophon, &c., insert ed in the fourth volume of the Varietes Litteraires. See Biographic Universelk. (