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AGUESSEAU, a Chancellor of France, illustrious for his virtues, learning, and talents, was born at Limoges on the 27th of November 1668. His father, at that time Intendant of Languedoc, and afterwards a Counsellor of State, was a man of great worth and abilities. He seems to have taken the sole charge of his son’s education; and having destined him for the Bar, he took uncommon pains to exercise him in every branch of knowledge which could contribute to his success in that profession. His care was rewarded with the happiest success. Young D’Aguesseau gave early indications of uncommon abilities; and such was his thirst for knowledge, and his habits of application, that he soon acquired the reputation of an almost universal scholar. He had a particular relish for poetry, which, he used to say, “was the only passion of his youth;” but this passion was so far from withdrawing him from severer studies, that it was allied in his mind with a nearly equal taste for mathematics. He studied law with the zeal of an antiquary, and the spirit of a philosopher; and, in order to form his taste as a pleader, he employed a whole year in repeated perusals of the most esteemed productions of ancient eloquence. After this thorough course of preparation, he became an advocate in 1690; and, by the interest of his father, who now resided in Paris, he was soon furnished with opportunities of distinguishing himself, and of rising to the highest honours of the profession. When little more than twenty-one years of age, he was appointed one of the three Advocates-general;—an office which imposed the duty of assisting in those causes where the king, the church, or the public were concerned. The king, (Louis XIV.) in appointing him, yet untried, to this situation, acted solely upon the recommendation of the elder D’Aguesseau, “who was incapable,” said Louis, “of deceiving him, even to advance his own son,” D’Aguesseau’s first appearances as an advocate-general were such as amply to fulfil the expectations of his father, and to warrant the appointment which he had obtained from the king. Denis Talon, an old lawyer, who had long officiated, with great reputation, in the same capacity, was heard to say, “that he should have been glad to have finished his career as that young man had begun.”

D’Aguesseau held this office for ten years; during which period he greatly distinguished himself, both for learning in his profession, and for a superior style of forensic eloquence. He was, indeed, one of the first reformers of the language of the French bar, which had not yet taken much polish from the national improvements in taste and literature. His diction, both in his pleadings and in his juridical compositions, was that of a mind expanded by a liberal course of study, and refined by a familiar acquaintance with classical models. The society which he chiefly frequented was also well adapted to improve his taste; for the chosen companions of his leisure hours were Racine and Boileau; the latter of whom has frequently mentioned him with praise in his writings.

It was D’Aguesseau’s opinion, that no one could rise to distinguished eminence as an orator, who did not labour to enlarge and polish his mind by the study of philosophy, and by exercises of literature; and he accordingly employed several of those stated discourses, which the usages of France required from the advocates-general at the opening of the sessions,