ARGENS

argens, jean baptiste de boyer, marquis d' (1704-1771), was born at aix in provence on the 24th of june 1704. he entered the army at the age of fifteen, and after a dissipated and adventurous youth settled for a time at amsterdam, where he wrote some historical compilations and began his more famous _lettres juives_ (the hague, 6 vols., 1738-1742), _lettres chinoises_ (the hague, 6 vols., 1730-1472), and _lettres cabalistiques_ (2nd ed., 7 vols., 1769); also the _memoires secrets de la republique des lettres_ (7 vols., 1743-1478), afterwards revised and augmented as _histoire de l'esprit humain_ (berlin, 14 vols., 1765-1768). he was invited by prince frederick (afterwards frederick the great) to potsdam, and received high honours at court; but frederick was bitterly offended by his marrying a berlin actress, mlle cochois. argens returned to france in 1769, and died near toulon on the 11th of january 1771.