GRIMM, F. M., BARON, was born at Ratisbon, in 1723, of poor pareuta, who gave him however an excellent education. Having finished his studies he published a tragedy called Banise,' which proved a complete failure. He afterwards accompanied a young Count Schtinburg to Leipzig and to Paris, where he became a reader to the duke of Saxe-Gotha. This place however was more honourable than lucrative, and Grimm was in very narrow circumstances when he made the acquaintance of J. J. Rousseau, which became a close intimacy, strengthened by the fondness for music of both of them. Rousseau introduced him to Baron Holbach, Madame D'Epinay, and other persons distinguished either by their rank or talents. When Paris became divided between the partisans of the French and Italian music, Grimm declared for the latter and became the leader of the Coin de in Brine, a party so called on account of their assembling in the pit, under the box of the queen, while the opposite party, assembling under the box of the king, was called Coin du Roi. Grimm wrote on the occasion a witty pamphlet, entitled Le Petit Prophets de Boemischbroda,' Paris, 1753. His opponents tried to answer him, but were entirely beaten out of the field by another pamphlet entitled Lettres our la Musique Franceise.' Hiaantagonista now talked about banialiment or the Bastile, but the excitement soon subsided, and the author received universal praise. On becoming secretary to Count Friesen ho obtained still easier access to the higher circles of society, where his chief object was to gain the favour of the ladies by the elegance of his conversation, manners, and external appearance. His
relations with the editors of the Encyclop6dia,' and with many other eminent individuals of France, as" well as hia talents and great tact, opened to him n brilliant career. On the death of Count Friesen he became secretary to the Duke of Orleans, and began also at that time to write for several German princes hie literary bulletins, which contained exceedingly clever analyses of all the more important literary productions of France..
In 1776 he was nominated by the Duke of Gotha his minister at the French court with the title of baron, but this circumatauce did not interrupt his literary occupations. lie left France at the Revolu tion, and retired to Gotha. Iu 1795 he was nominated by the Empress Catharine of Russia her minister at Hamburg, a post which he occupied for some time, nntil a severe illness, by which he hat an eye, compelled him to resign it. He retnrned to Gotha, where he died in 1807. After his death appeared his 'Correspondence Lit4raire, Philosophirsne, et Critique,' 16 vole., Paris, 1812; another edition with a supplement, by Alexander Barbier, 1814; and a new edition, more complete th.n either of the preceding, was published at Paris, 3829, in 15 vole.