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ypry quick progrefs to caufe fucli an alarm at Ediuburgli in 

 1497. 



GRANDI EncoLK, in Biograjihy, whom Vafari calls 

 Ercole da Ferrara, was a painter of the early ages in tlic 

 art after its revival. He was a difciplc of Lorenzo Colla, 

 whom he afterwards furpafled in excellence, and at wliofc 

 death he was appointed to compleat the work of the Cruci- 

 fixion, begun by the former for Domenico Gargantlli, in 

 the church of St. Pietro in Bologna, by which he gained 

 great reputation for the excellence of the colour, and the 

 truth and force of expreffion ; although it is wrought in the 

 dry ftyle of Mantegna and P. Perugino. When unfortu- 

 nately the chapel was dellroyed, that part of the pifture 

 which was preferved was placed in the palace Tanara. His 

 peculiar fliynefs of manner made him many enemies in Bo- 

 logna. He therefore quitted it and went to Ferrara, where 

 lie pi-odnced many works which are very fcarce now. His 

 fondnefs for wine (hortened his life, and he died at the age 

 of 40 in the year 1 53 1. 



GRANDI, Fkaxcis Lewis, who flourifhed in the latter 

 end of the 17th, and the comm.encement of the i8lh cen- 

 turies, was born in 1671 at Cremona. He was difpofed to 

 a ftudious life, and cliofc the profeflion of theology, in order 

 that he might freely indulge his inclination. He entered 

 into the religious order of Camnldolites, at Ravenna, at the 

 age of 16; and on this occafion he relinquifhed his own 

 Chriftian name, and received that of Guy. He became, in 

 the early progrefs of his ftudics, diftingiiinied fur his pro- 

 ficiency in the different branches of literature and fcience, 

 and benig diffatisfied with the Peripatetic philofophy of the 

 fchools, he was ambitious of contributing to introduce a 

 more rational fyflem. With this view he offered himfelf ge 

 n candidate for the vacant profefTorfhip of philofophy in the 

 fchool of Florence, and obtained his object, tliough not 

 v.-ithout the moft determined oppo'ition from the prejudiced 

 adherents to the old opinions. He now applied himfelf to 

 the introduction of the Cartefian philofophy, while, at the 

 fame time, he became zealoufly attached to mathematical 

 ftudies. The works of the great Torricelli, of our country- 

 man Wallis, and of other celebrated mathematicians, were 

 iiis favourite companions, scd the objedts of his familiar 

 intercourfe. He pubhftied a treatife to refoU-e the problems 

 of Viviani on the conftruftion of arcs, which he dedicated 

 to the grand duke Cofmo HI., who was fo delighted with 

 til- performance, that he appointed the author profelTor of 

 philofophy in the univerfity of Pifa. From this time 

 Grandi purfued the higher branches of mathematics with 

 the utmoll ardour, and had the honour of ranking the ablell 

 mathematicians among his friends and correfpondents. Of 

 the number may be named the illuftrious Newton, Leibnitz, 

 and Bernouilli. By his life of St. Peter Damiano, pubhflied 

 in 1702, and his examination of the legends of St. Romanld, 

 he gave oifence to the bigots of his community, and was 

 depofed from the dignity of abbot of St. Michael at Pifa ; 

 but the grand-duke had too liberal a mind to be ofteuded ; 

 and to (hew the eftimation in which he held the tihilofophcr, he 

 immediately appointed him his profeffor of mailiematics in 

 the univerfity, which, perhaps, led to his re-inllatement in 

 the abbacy. He now refolved fome curious and difficult 

 problems for the improvement of acoullics, which had been 

 prefented to the Royal Society in Dublin, and having ac- 

 comphfhed his objeft, he tranfmitted the folutions, by 

 means of the I'ritidi miniller at the court of Florence, to the 

 Royal Society at London. The principal work of Le 

 (irandi was " A Treatife on Series and Inlinitefimals." He 

 appeared likcwife as the defender of Galileo's doctrine re- 

 fpecting the earth's motion, and obt;untd a complete victory 



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over tliofc wlio oppofed it. He was deeply vcrfed in fubjciSt 

 of political economy, and various difputes were referred to 

 his decifion refpcf.ting the rights of (ifher)-, &c. Ke wal 

 appointed commiffioner from the grand-duke and iIk- court 

 of Rome jointly, to fettle fome diflercnces b'-tv.cen the in- 

 liabitants of Ferrara and Bologna, concerning the works 

 neccffar)' to prcferve their territories from the ravages of 

 inundation. For thefe and other important public fcrviccs 

 he was liberally rewarded by his employers. Reverting to 

 his literary labours, Lc Grandi engf.gcd in a contcft with 

 Lc Ceva, on the fubject of the plsilofophy of the ancients 

 and moderns. This difcuifion was occafioncd by a preface 

 to a Latin poem by Le Ceva, in which he maintained that 

 none but heretics would renoimce the philofophy of Arif- 

 totle. The remainder of his life this great man fpcnt in 

 mathematical purfuits, and in the publication of works of 

 fcience, which are too numerous to be recited here. He 

 died at the age of feventy-two in the year 1 742 Moreri. 



GRANDIER, IThb.-vn, was born in the latter part of 

 the ijth century. His father, a notary -royal at Sable, 

 gave him a good education, and introduced him while younjj 

 among the .Tcfuits at Bourdeaux, to whole fricndfliip he 

 recom.mended himfelf, as well by his natural genius and fine 

 underftanding, as by his diligence and prolicienty in his 

 ftudies. Conceiving highly of his talents, the fathers of the 

 college gave him the living of St. Peter, at Loudun, of 

 which they were the patrons, and procured him a prebend 

 in the church of the Holy Crofs. Thefe benefices rendered 

 him the object of jealoufy with ecclefiallics, which was ftill 

 farther heightened by the accomplifliments of his porfon and 

 the elegance of his manners. With his friends he was eafv, 

 facetious, and agreeable, but extremely haughty towards 

 thofe whom he regarded as his enemies. Some of his 

 brethren of the clergy he had exafpcrated, by the arrogance 

 with which he triumphed over them, upon gaining certain 

 fuits in the eccleliaftical court, and he raifed a hint of foes 

 by his reported fuccefsful gallantries with the ladies, to the 

 great mortification of difappointcd rivals, inccnfed fathers 

 and hufbands. A league was formed with a viev.- of driving 

 him entirely out of Loudun : a heavy charge of debauchery, 

 irreligion, and impiety was laid againft him, in the bifhops' 

 court of Poidliers, which produced, lirlt, a fufpenfion of 

 the prieils' funftions ; and afterwards he was condemned to 

 refign his benefices, and to the praftice of penance and mor- 

 tification. From a fentence fo fevere, Grandicr appealed 

 to the archbilhop of Bourdeaux, by whofe means he was 

 acquitted, and even allowed to fue for the recovery of 

 damages, and the reftitulion of the profits of the benefices 

 during hi.s fufpenfion. The archbifliop, a friend to peace, 

 earneltly recommended him to change his refidence, but he 

 was incapable of renouncing his favourite paflion, revenge. 

 He returned to Loudun, bearing in his hand a branch of 

 laurel, and in his mind a fixed refolution of humbling hit 

 enemies. They were equally bitter, and finarting under 

 the lafh of the victor, they fet about means to compafs his 

 deilruction. A pricft, named Mignon, denfed a plan, which 

 ultimately enabled them to gratify all their malignity He 

 trained up nuns in the Urfulinc convent at Loudun, to ac\ 

 the part of women pofleflfed with evil fpirits : thefe were 

 inltruClcd to accufe, in their frantic fits, Grandicr of having 

 fuhjcfted them to demoniacal influence. At firfl he was 

 indifferent to the reports, confidering the bufinefs as a mere 

 farce. It had, however, a moil tragical conclufion. Gran- 

 dicr, at length, finding, from the eft'ecls produced upon the 

 credulous devotees, that matters were taking a ierious turn, 

 appealed to the magiftratcs, confcious of his own innocence, 

 and requeuing them to take cognizance of the aflair. They 

 4 I 3 hc^im 



