LE CLERC, he JEAN, or JOHANNES C•ancus ( 1057-1736 ). A Swiss Protestant scholar. lle was born at Geneva. where his father was professor of Greek. From an early period he showed a particular aptitude for the study of ancient languages. He also paid great attention to theology. Before he was twenty. Le ('lore had imbibed Socinian opinions in religion. 1 le also denied the special inspiration of the Bible. In 1678 he went as tutor to Grenoble; in ICSO he returned to Geneva, and was ordained a minister. All the while his objections to the accepted theology of his associates had been growing; and under the name of Liberius de Sancto Amore he wrote eleven letters against the errors of the scholastic theologians as the par tisan of the Duteli Remonstrants. In the latter part of 16SI Le Chere returned to Grenoble, and thence went to London. where he preached six months to the Savoy Congregation. He was ap pointed professor of philosophy. classical litera tu•e, and Hebrew at the Remonstrant Seminary of Amsterdam in 16S-1; later (1712) of Church history. He had to retire in 1728 in consequence
of a paralytic stroke and for eight years before his death was much weakened in mind. lie died January- S. 1736. Le Cler•'s writings are very numerous: seventy-three separate publications have been enumerated, including a commentary on the entire Bible: but his greatest service to posterity was the publication of a quarterly. the Bibliothigur unicersclle ct historiquc (1686-93, 25 vols.I. followed up by the Bibnothcque (1703-13), and the Itibliothiqur ancirn»c ci modern. 1714-27 ) His editions of several of the ancient classic,: and of the Apostolic Fathers 1169s; 2d ed. 1724) prove both his learning and acumen; while his Ars Critira 13 vols., 1712-301 had considerable influence in his time. and is still not without value. 1Iis collected works appeared at Amsterdam in four volumes. A number of his were published in English during his lifetime. Consult Van der Uneven, De dolomite Cleric° (Amsterdam, 15-15).