HUET, PETER DANIEL, Bishop of Avranches, was born at Caen on the 8th of February 1630. He was originally intended for the profession of the law ; but ho is said to have been induced to devote his attention to subjects of general literature by the perusal of the Principles' of Des Cartes, and Bochart's 'Sacred Geography.' In 1652 he accompanied Bochart to Sweden, and was solicited by the queen to settle in her dominions. This offer however he refused, and returned to France, where he acquired so great a reputation that he was appointed in 1670 subtutor to the Dauphin. During the next twenty years he was principally engaged in superintending the publica tion of the edition of the classics which is usually known by the name of In usurn Delphini: The first idea of this edition was started by the Duo de Montausier; but we are indebted to Huet for the plan and arrangement of the work. In 1674 he was elected a member of the French academy ; and having taken orders in 1676, at the age of forty-six years, he was appointed to the abbey of Aunay near Caen, where he composed the greater part of his works. In 1685 he was made Bishop of Avranches, but was not consecrated till 1692, in consequence of some disputes between the pope and the Frenoh govern went. He resigned his bishopric in 1099, in order to enjoy more time for study ; and he obtained in exchange the abbey of Fontenay near the gets. of Caen. During the latter years of lila life he lived princi
pally at Paris in the liaison Pramse of the Jesuits. lie died on the 20th of January 1721, at the age of ninety-one.
The best known of Hirers works is his ' Dernonstratio Evangelica; which was published originally at Paris in 1679, and has since been frequently reprinted. This book, like most of Suet's other works, is written with more learning than judgment Tho most important of Iluet's other works are :-' De Interpretations libri duo,' Paris, 1661; 'Origenis Commentarii in Sacram Scriptnram; Rouen, 1608, 2 vole. fol., reprinted at Cologne, 1685, 3 vols. fob ; 'Censure Philosophise Cartesianse; Paris, 1639, 1694, 12mo ; ' Quirstiooes Alnetarne de Concordia Rationis et Fidel,' Caen. 1690; 'Do la Situation du Pamdis Terrestre; Paris, 1691, 12mo ; ' Mall! Commentarius de Rebus ad cum pertinentibus; Amt., 1718, 12mo, of which the title-page contains a curious instance of bad Latinity ; ' Trait6 Philotophique de Is Faiblesse do l'Esprit Humain,' published after the author's death, by his friend the Abbe d'Olivet, Amat., 1723, 8vo.