DESTOUCHES, PHILIPPE-NERICAULT, was born at Tours, in 1680. He much displeased his relations by turning actor, when they had designed him for the law. He wandered from town to town as director of a company of comedians, among whom he was distin guished by his strict morality and his great regard for religion. His first dramatic piece, ' Le Curieux Impertinent,' (founded on the episode of the same name iu Don Quixote) was acted in 1710, and received with enthusiastic applause. Three pieces which followed seem to have had more success than they merited. In 1717 Destouchea accompanied Cardinal Dubois to England, where he married an English Roman Catholic lady, with whom on his return to France he retired to an estate in the country, where he passed nearly all the remainder of his life. In 1723 he was chosen a member of the Academy. About this time commenced his great reputation as a dramatist, fur though his former pieces had been successful, they roan little above mediocrity. His Pbilosophe Mari6' raised him to a high
rank among the comic writers of France, and the envious critiques which were written against it only showed how highly it was valued. Le Glorieux,' which followed, was by some critics considered even superior to ' Le Philosophy Mari6; and La Harps seems to be of this opinion. He continued to write for the stage till his sixtieth year, though the pieces he produced were not equal to the two already mentioned; one of the most favourite was 'La Fausse Agn6s,' a farcical comedy resembling Murphy's ' Citizen.' From that timo he devoted himself to theology, and wrote several essays against infidelity. He died iu 1754.