LA. 310TTE, ANTOINE 11OUDAR DE, was born at Paris, 17th of January 1672. His father was originally a hatter at Troyes, where be possessed a small estato called La 3lotte, whence the surname of the family was derived. After completing his studies at the Jesuits' College, Ito turned his atteutiou to the law, which he shortly after gave up to follow his taste for the drama, and to assist nt a private theatre in the representation of 31oliere's comedies. In 1693, being then only twenty-one years of age, he produced at the Th6Atre Italien his Gist piece entitled ' Les Originaux,' with little success. This piece has not been inserted among his works, but is printed in the 4th volume of Gherardi's Th6atre Italien." Disappointed at his failure, he resolved to renounce the world, and retired with one of his friends to La Trappe, but the Abb6 de Raned, setting little value on the momentary enthusiasm of two inconsiderate young men, !dis missed them at the end of two months, without giving them the habit of the order.
After returning to Paris he produced his opera L'Europe Galante,' which was very successful ; in 1707a volume of Odes, which, although much read, added nothing to his reputation; and in 1710 his ' Academical Discourse,' a model of the kind. His tragedy, called
Ines do Castro,' is mentioned by Voltaire (' Siecle de Louis XIV.) as one of tho most interesting of those which had kept their place ou the stage.
The most presumptuous and extravagant act of La Motto was his translating the Iliad, without knowing a single word of Greek, and abridging that poem with the intention of improving it. This trans lation was preceded by a discourse, in which he endeavoured to prove that admiration for tho ancients, and particularly Homer, was a modern prejudice. Madame Dacier refuted this discourse by a tract entitled 'Des Causes de la Corruption du Gout,' to which La Motto replied by his 'Reflexions stir In Critique.' At the age of forty he became blind, and also lost the use of his limbs, in which condition he remained for many years, and died 26th• December 1731. His works, including his letters to the Duchesse du Maine, were collected in 1754, and filled 10 vole. 12mo.