ROLLIN, CHARLES, a French historian, who formerly enjoyed, if lie did not merit, an extensive popularity, MIS the son of a cutler, and was b. in Paris, Jan. 3U, 1661. lie studied at the college du Plessis, where, in 1683, he became assistant to the professor of rhetoric, and 4 years later obtained the chair for himself. In 1688 he was called to the chair of eloquence at the College Royal de France, and for some 10 years he discharged the duties of his cake with remarkable zeal and success. In 1694 lie was chosen rector of the university of Paris, a dignity which he held for two years, and signalized his brief tenure of office by many useful reforms, both in regard to discipline and study, and his warm defense of the privileges of the university. His efforts to revive the study of Greek, then frilling back into neglect, were particularly creditable to him, and altogether his career as rector constitutes perhaps his best claim to the regard of posterity, and has certainly left a more permanent impression than his writings, for its influence is percep tible even to the present day. In 1699 he was appointed coadjutor to the principal of the college of Beauvais; hut was removed from this situation in 1712, through the machinations of the Jesuits, for Rollin was a strenuous Jansenist. For the next three
years he devoted himself; exclusively to learned study, the fruit of which was his edition of Quintino.» (Paris, 2 vols. 1715). In 1720 he was re-elected rector of the university, and in 1726 published his Mate des Etudes, which M. Arillemain has pronounced a. monument of goad sense and taste," and which is justly regarded as his best literary performance, for his Histoire Ancienne (Paris, 12 vols. 1730-38), though long prodigiously popular, amid translated into several languages (the English among others), is feeble is its philosophy, jejune in its criticism, and often inaccurate in its narrative. Neverthe less, to multitudes, both in this country and in France, it has formed the introduction to the study of ancient history. Frederick the great, then the prince-royal, of Prussia, among other princely notabilities, wrote to compliment the author, and opened up a cor respondence with him. In 1733 Rollin published his Jfistoire Romaine (Paris, 9 vols.), a much inferior work, now almost forgotten. He died Sept. 14, 1741.