GAUBIL, ANTHONY, a learned Jesuit, whose labours greatly advanced our knowledge of the literature of eastern Asia, was born in Languedoo in 1689. He entered the society of the Jesuits in 1704, and was sent in 1723 to China, where he applied himself to the study of the Chinese and Mautchoo in which he made such pro ficiency that the first Chinese scholars sometimes consulted him about obscure and difficult passages in their authors. Besides the above mentioned literary occupations Gaubil applied himself with great success to mathematics, and particularly to astronomy, without neglecting his numerous ecclesiastical avocations. Gaubil arrived in China just after the death of the celebrated emperor Ching-Tsoo, better known iu Europe under the name of Kang-Ili, who was very partial to Europeans, but whose successor was imbued with a strong prejudice against the Christian missionaries. Notwithstanding this unfavourable circumstance, Gaubil succeeded in obtaining the favour of the monarch, and was nominated director of the college, where a number of Mantohoo youths aro instructed in Latin and Russian, the diplomatic correspondence being, by the treaty of 1723, carried on in Latin. Ho was also employed as interpreter for the diplomatic cor respondence between China and Russia. Notwithstanding his multi farious occupations, Gaubil found tiuie to write several important works in China, the first of which is an ' Historical and Critical Trea tise on the Chinese Astronomy,' published in the 'Observations 5lathe inatiques, Astronoutiques, G6oaraphiques et Phyeiques Urdu dos Ruckus Hares Chinois, ott Faite:nouvellement aux lades ou h la Chine, par los Missionuaires Jesuites, requeillies par le P. Souciet (a Jesuit),'
I'aris, 1729, 1 voL 4to. The same collection contains the narrative of a Voyage from Peking to Canton,' by Gaubil, which has been likewise inserted by Prevot iu the fifth volume of his History of Travels.' But the work which reflects the greatest credit on the abilities of Gaubil is his translation into French of the 'Chiseling,' which con tains the earliest traditions respecting the history of China. It was published after his death by Desguigues, in 1771, at Paris. Gaubil published also a History of Genghis Khau and his Dynasty' (1739, Paris), which alone; according to the celebrated Chinese scholar Abel Reinusat, would be sufficient to establish the reputation of the author. The other works of Gaubil are—'A Description of Peking,' and many essays on China and the adjacent countries, which are inserted in the celebrated collection published by the Jesuits under the title of Lettres curieuses et edifiantes; which contains the description of the countries where they exercised their missionary labours. Gaubil died at Peking in 1759, aged seveuty-ono, after having resided iu China thirty-six years. (Lettree Curieuees ct tdifiantes, vol. mi.)