Daniel, Gabriel
Daniel, Gabriel
Author, born Rouen, France , 1649 ; died Paris, France, 1728 . He entered the Society of Jesus, 1667 , became historiographer of France . He wrote on the questions of probabilism and grace but is best known for his refutation of Pascal’s “Provincial Letters” and for his great history of France .
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Daniel, Gabriel
Historian and controversialist, born at Rouen, France, 8 Feb., 1649; died at Paris, 23 June, 1728. He entered the Society of Jesus at Paris in 1667, and after making his last vows at Rennes, 1683, was assigned to the professed house of Paris where his extraordinary talents resulted in his being appointed historiographer of France by Louis XIV. Of the published writings of Father Daniel, consisting of philosophical, theological, and historical treatises, many have been translated into German, English, Spanish, Italian, and Latin. In the first class perhaps the most famous was the oft-reprinted “Voyage du monde de Descartes”, a refutation of the vortex theory of that philosopher. His refutation of Pascal’s “Provincial Letters”, which underwent several revisions and reprints, and his published correspondence with Natalis Alexander respecting the Dominican and Jesuit doctrines of Probabilism, Grace, Predestination, etc., stand out conspicuously among his theological works. He published also many shorter works, principally against the Jansenists, and one volume of a projected course of theology for seminaries.
But it is as the author of the celebrated “Histoire de France” that Father Daniel has achieved his most lasting fame. This work in seventeen volumes was the fruit of his ripest years and was the most complete and accurate history of France that had then appeared (1713). It is still valuable, though overshadowed by more recent works. It went through many editions, and an abridgment of it in eight volumes made by the author was translated into German, English, and Italian. Besides this, a valuable work from original sources, the “Histoire de la milice française”, contributed much to Daniel’s reputation as a scholarly historian. The best edition of his great history is that of Paris (1755-60), in seventeen quarto volumes.
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JOHN F.X. MURPHY Transcribed by David M. Cheney Dedicated to Ceil Holman (1907-1996), my grandmother
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IVCopyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, CensorImprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Daniel, Gabriel
a French ecclesiastical writer, was born at Rouen in 1649. When eighteen years of age he joined the Jesuits. After he had taught for some years in the college at Rouen with great success, his superiors sent him to Paris as librarian of the “domus professae” of his society, where he died in 1728. His most important work is L’Histoire de’France (Paris, 1713, also 1755- 60, 3 volumes), against which Mezerai wrote his Observations Critiques: also Recueil de Divers Ouvrages: Philosophiques: Theologiques, Apologytiques et Critiques (ibid. 1724. 3 volumes). See Lichtenberger, Encyclop. des Sciences Religienses, s.v.; Jocher, Allgemeines Gelehrten- Lexikon, s.v.; Encyclop. Brit. (9th ed.) s.v. (B.P.)