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/234

 i5>8 A M E L O T. priefts founded by Philip of Neri. He wrote the life of Charles de Gondren, fccond fuperior of this congregation, and publifhed it at Pans in 164-3. ^ n tn ' s piece he faid fomething of the famous abbot of St. Cyran, which greatly difpleafed the gentlemen of Port Royal, who, to he revenged of him, publifhed a libel againft him, inriiuled " Idee gene- rale de 1'efprit et de livre de P. Amelote." He was fo much provoked by this fatire, that he did all in his power to injure them. They had rimmed a translation of the New Tefta- rncnt, and were defirous 10 have it publifhed ; for which pur- pofe they endeavoured to procure an approbation from the doctors of the Sorbonne, and a privilege from the king. They h?.d forne frienr's in the Sorbonne, but at the fame time very powerful >-nemies ; and as to the privilege, it was impoffible to prevail with the chancellor Seguier to grant them one, for he hated them; fo that father Ainelot, whofe advice the chancellor generally followed in matters of reli- gion, eafily thwarted all their meafures, not only out of zeal for what he thought the true decline, or out of averfion to the Port Royalifts, but alib from a view to his own intereft ; for he was about to publifh a translation of his own of the New TYftament. Amelot's tranflation, with annotation?. tom. ill. in four volumes oftavo, was printed in the years 1666, 1^67, chap. 16. anc ] j6oS. It is n't very exacl, according to F. Simon, who tells us that it contains fome very grois blunders. Ic was dedicated to A), de Perefixe archbifhop of Paris ; and the tranflator ufes the gentlemen of Port Royal very ill in his de- dication : " You will be confirmed," fays father Amelote to this prelate, * in that zeal, which obliged you to take up the " holy arms to defend the true grace of Goi, and the de- " crees of the holy fee, againft the new herely : you will " daily {{lengthen yourfelr againft thefe blird rebels, whofe " glory, which they endeavour to blcir. fh. 'I hey place you " in the fmie rank with the Athanafiufes and Hilarys, when " they ibufe y< u in the fame manner as the Arians did tiioie at great p-.iins to rind exprefiions mare proper and elegant ttian thole of the former verhons ; for which realon he committed his work in;o Mr. Conrart's hanJs, 10 polifh and co: retl whatever he fhould j^'dge inelegant or improper. Amelot wiote allo an *' Abridgment or Divinity," a " Catechifrn " for the Jubilee," and a kind of " Chriftian Manual for ways been a very zcaljus Anti-Port Royaliit, yet he was but pcorly
 * -> I J L ! U L) " *
 * ' fury, impoilures, and calurnnie?, add n?w Iplcndor to your
 * , great and holy bifhops." In this tranflation he has been
 * ' every Day, (Journe'e Chretiene.)" Though he had al-