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to the customary forms; but no further proceedings on the Paris, under the title of Avignon, in 1753. He also left 
subject took place in that court. behind him in manuscript “ A History of Joan of Arc, or. 
That Richer’s book should be proscribed at Rome, was the Maid of Orleans,” in 4 vols. folio, of which the Abbe* 
naturally to be expected; and the papal anathema was Lenglet made free use in composing his >« History of Joan of 
speedily followed by that of the archbishop of Aix, and of Arc.” Moreri. Nouv. Diet. Hist. 
three of his suffragans. Immediately afterwards a crowd of RICHER (John), a French astronomer and natural phi- 
writers entered the lists against the obnoxious work, whose losopher in the 17th century, concerning whose life and 
patrons procured an express order from court, that the labours though but few particulars are recorded, yet they 
author should not publish any thing in its defence. Not are such as entitle him to this brief notice. He was admitted 
satisfied with having thus silenced him, his enemies availed a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, 1666, 
themselves of their influence with the higher powers, to under the title of astronomer to that body. About the year 
obtain letters of command from the king and queen-regent 1671, Lewis XIV. sent him to the island of Cayenne, in 
to the faculty of divinity,-enjoining them to choose another South America, for the purpose of makin°- observations 
syndic. Against this arbitrary attack on the privileges of which might contribute to the improvement of astronomical 
the faculty Richer publicly protested; after which, having science. On this mission he spent three years; and after 
first read a written'defence of himself and opinions, he his return to Paris, gave the result of his labours in his “ As- 
withdrew from his post. From this time he ceased to attend tronomical and Physical Observations made at the Island of 
the meetings at the Sorbonne, and shut himself up chiefly in Cayenne,” which are inserted in the seventh vol, of the old 
solitude, occupied in study and the composition of works “ Memoirs” of the Academy of Sciences. Cassini speaks of 
which were not published before his death. His enemies, him with commendation in his “ Elements of Astronomy 
however, would not suffer him to pursue his labours in as does also John Frederic Weidler in his “ Historia Astro’no- 
peace, but by their interest procured his arrest and commit¬ 
ment to the prison of St. Victor. They would even have 
delivered him up to the Pope, had not the parliament and 
the chancellor of France prevented them, on the complaint 
of the University against their proceedings. Still his ene¬ 
mies continued their persecution ; and in the year 1620, he 
w as pressed to publish a declaration condemning his book. 
This he was determined not to do; but he made a declara¬ 
tion of his readiness to explain the proposition which it 
contained, in a catholic sense, adding, moreover, that he 
submitted his work to the judgment of the holy see and of 
the catholic church. Afterwards he made a second decla¬ 
ration to the same purport. In 1629, he reprinted his trea¬ 
tise “ De Potestate,” accompanied with such a comment as 
he thought might prove satisfactory, and the two declara¬ 
tions just mentioned. The court of Rome, however, demand¬ 
ing a more explicit retractation of his doctrine, Cardinal 
Richelieu determined that he should sign a third declaration, 
drawn up by an apostolical notary, who was sent to Paris 
for that purpose by the Pope. Richer’s friends relate, that 
his signature was forcibly obtained in the apartments of 
Father Joseph, by the threatening of immediate death on his 
refusal, from two assassins who seized the old man and pre¬ 
sented to him their drawn daggers ; and they add, that the 
shock occasioned by this scene contributed to shorten his 
days. The opposite party deny this story, as entirely with¬ 
out foundation, and maintain, that Richer signed the decla¬ 
ration voluntarily and sincerely. Be the truth as it may, he 
did not long survive that act, as he died towards the close of 
1630, in the 70th year of his age. He left behind him se¬ 
veral works, which discover extensive learning, great dis¬ 
cernment, much critical skill, and a laudable boldness in 
exploding the prejudices of the schools. Mosheim honour¬ 
ably distinguishes him from his contemporaries, by observ¬ 
ing, that lie “ was the only doctor in the University of 
Paris who followed the literal sense and the plain and natural 
signification of the wmrds of Scripture; while all the other 
commentators and interpreters, imitating the pernicious ex¬ 
ample of several ancient expositors, were always racking 
their brains for mysterious and sublime significations, where 
none such w'ere, nor could be, designed by the' sacred 
writers.” Besides the articles already mentioned, he was 
the author of “ Vindicia? Doctrinae majorum, de Auctori- 
tate Ecclesiae in Rebus Fidei et Morum,” 4to.; De Op¬ 
timo Academii Statu,” 8vo., written on the subject of the 
reformation of the University, by order of Henry IV. in 
1559; “ Obstetrix Animorum,” 4to., intended to facilitate 
the acquaintance of students, with the sciences ; some other 
elementary treatises: and after his death were published 
from his manuscripts, “ Notes on the Censure of the Books 
of Mark Anthony de Dominis by the Sorbonne;” “A 
History of General Councils," in Latin, printed at Cologne 
in 1682, in 3 vols 4to; and “ A History of the Syndicate 
of Edmund Richer, written by himself,” Svo., printed at 
mise.” Richer died in the year 1696. 
RICHER (Claude), a learned French priest and mathe¬ 
matician in the 18th century, was bom at Auxerre, in the 
year 1680. Being destined to the ecclesiastical profession 
when very young, he was sent from the seminaries of his 
native place to pursue his studies at Paris. Here he distin¬ 
guished himself in 1701, when little more than 20 years of 
age, by printing a work entitled “ Universal Gnomonics, 
or, the Science of tracing solar Dials on all Kinds of Sur¬ 
faces, whether fixed or moveable,” in 8vo. The reputation 
which he acquired by this work, more particularly as it was 
the production of so young a man, afforded reason to expect 
that he would support and increase it by new" productions. 
But the narrowness of his circumstances, and an inconstancy 
of disposition which was afterw'ards observable in his whole 
conduct through life, turned off his attention from mathe¬ 
matical pursuits to other studies adapted to his intended 
profession. Haviug been ordained priest, he remained for 
about 30 years almost an entire stranger to. men of letters. 
About the year 1730, his passion for mathematical studies 
revived, and being encouraged by M. Fantat de Lagny, who 
gave him the free use of his papers, he produced a work of 
great merit, entitled, “ General Analysis, containing new 
Methods of resolving Problems of every Kind, and of all De¬ 
grees to Infinity,” 4to. The author had the modesty to 
send it into the world under the name of M. Lagny; but it ’ 
was soon ascertained, that a very small share of the credit 
arising from it could fairly be awarded to that mathemati¬ 
cian. Another sudden change now took place in the 
direction of our author's studies. After he had been first 
appointed a canon of Provins, in Champagne, and then dean 
of' Notre-Dame in the same town, the perusal of a fragment' 
of Manetho, high-priest of Heliopolis, in Egypt, induced 
him to devote his whole attention to the most profound re. 
searches in ancient history. Notwithstanding the obscurity 
of this relic of antiquity, which the most learned and saga¬ 
cious men from the days of Origen to the present time have 
not been able to clear up, he conceived that he thoroughly 
understood it, and that it furnished him with a clew, by the 
aid of which he could unravel all the difficulties of ancient 
history, sacred and profane. Under the influence of this 
persuasion, he laboured day and night in attempting to 
illustrate it, till he had produced two immense folio volumes, 
which no person would undertake to print. Thus circum¬ 
stanced, he drew' up and circulated among several of the 
learned, a memoir, intended to explain, and, if possible, to 
obtain their approbation of a system, which had cost him' 
so much pains, that his health was ruined, and he proved the 
victim of constant and increasing infirmities during the 
latter years of his life. As a specimen of his labours, he 
published, “ A Chronological Series of the Kings of Egypt, 
determined, according to three Simple Dynasties, from the 
fragment of Manetho,” in folio. Moreri. 
RICHERIA, [so named in memory of Pierre Richer de 
Bel leva!, 
