THOU, JACQUES AUGUSTE DE, or, as his name is frequently written, Jacobus Augus tus Thuanus, son of Christophe de Thou, first president of the parlement de Paris, was born in that city, Oct. 8, 1553. He was originally designed for the church, but when old enough to judge for himself, he gave up all thoughts of an ecclesiastical career. In spite of the difficulty presented by a sickly constitution, he pursued both literary and scientific studies with vigor and success. Taking a liking for the writings of Cujacius, be took up his residence at Valence in Dauphine where he attended the lectures of the celebrated jurist. At Valence, he made the acquaintance of Scaliger, with whom be maintained an unbroken friendship for the rest of his life. In 1578 he accepted, with reluctance, the office of ecclesiastical councilor of the parlement of Paris. A firm adherent of royalty, in 1588 he was made councilor of state to Henry and during the rest of the reign of that king, he took a leading part in all public affairs. On the accession of Henry IV.,he was made keeper of the royal library. In 1593 he began hi* great work, the Historia sui Temporis, which principally occupied him during the remainder of his life. He took an important part in the arrangement of the edict of Nantes; but with this exception, he seems to have given but little attention to public affairs during the reign of Henry IV.; and the death of that monarch, in 1610 may be
said completely to have ended his political existence. From 1604, wheu the first 18 books of the history appeared, the author held the position of first historian of his age. Eighty books appeared during his life; and the remainder, forming in all 138 books, were published in 1620, after the author's death, which took place May 7, 1617.
As a historian, Thou is eminently impartial; so devoid, indeed, did his work show him to be of religious prejudice, that he incurred the imputation of having no religion about which to feel; the consequence being that, in 1609, his work was put into the Index Expurgatorius—a fact which appears to have distressed him more than one would have expected. Written in Latin, the author has spared no pains to make it severely classical. It is generally held valuable rather from its workmanship than its material. The best English edition is that by Samuel Buckly, 7 vols. 1733. Thou also wrote a. number of Latin poems.—See Autobiography, ending 1601; also CoBoson, Life of Thua nus (Loud. 180'7).