Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/228

 i 9 2 A M A N D. wrote alfo a very devout piece, intitled " Stances a M. Cof- neille, fur fon imitation de Jefus ChrihV' which was printed at Paris in 1656. Mr. BrofTette fays that he wrote alfo a poem upon the moon, wherein he paid a compliment to Lewis XI V* upon his fkill in fwimming, in which he ufed often to exer- cife himfelf when he was young, in the river Seine ; but the king could not bear this poem to be read to him, which is faid to have affected the author to fuch a degree, that he did not furvive it long. Ke died in 1661, being fixty-feven years of age. He was admitted a member of the French aca- demy, when it was firft founded by cardinal Richelieu, in the inn. "101 y ear ! ^33 anc ^ ^ r< P e lift n informs us, that, in 1(537, at his own defire, he was excufed from the obligation of making a fpeech in his turn, on condition that he would compile the comic part of the dictionary which the academy had under- taken, and collect the burlefque terms. This was a tafk well fuited to him ; for it appears by his writings that he was ex- tremely converfant in thefe terms, of which he feems to have made a complete collection from the markets and other places where the lower people refort. AMBROSE (Sr.), bifhop of Milan, an eminent father of the fourth century, born in Gaul in the year 333, according Hlft.Lir. to Dr. Cave ; or in 340, as Mr. Du Pin affirms. His father fc. iv. ad was a tn j s time prsefedtus proetorio in Gaul, and rcfided at 374 ' Aries, the capital of Gallia Narbonenfis. The birth of Am- brofe is faid to have been followed with a remarkable prefage of his future eloquence ; for we are told that a fwarrn of bees came and fettled upon his mouth, as he lay in his cradle. He foon made himfelf mafter of the feveral parts of fecuiar learning, and pleaded caufes before Probus with fo much elo- quence, that he was appointed his affeflor. and foon after go- vernor of the provinces of Liguria and ./Emilia. He fettled at Milan ; where, in the year 374, upon the death of Auxen- tius bifhop of that city, there was a great conteft between the Catholics and Arians, concerning the choice of a new bifhop. Ambrofe thought it his duty, as governor, to go to the church, in order to cornpofe the tumult ; and accordingly addrefled the people in a gentle pathetic fpeech, exhorting them to proceed to their choice in a calm and friendly man^ ner. While he was fpeaking to them, the whole affembly cried out with one voice, " Let Ambrofe be bifhop !" Such a fudden and unexpedied incident furprifed him extremely, fo that he retired immediately, and ufed every method to di- vert them from their refolution of chufing him ; but at laft was