DUHAMEL

duhamel, jean baptiste (1624-1706), french physicist, was born in 1624 at vire in normandy. he studied at caen and paris; wrote at eighteen a tract on the _spherics_ of theodosius of tripolis; then became an oratorian priest, and fulfilled with great devotion for ten years (1653-1663) the duties of _cure_ at neuilly-sur-marne. he was appointed in 1656 almoner to the king, and in 1666 perpetual secretary to the newly founded academy of sciences. he died on the 6th of august 1706. he published among other works: _astronomia physica_ (1660) and _de meteoris et fossilibus_ (1660), both in dialogue form; _de consensu veteris et novae philosophiae_ (1663); _de corporum affectionibus_ (1672); _de mente humana_ (1673); _regiae scientiarum academiae historia_, 1666-1696 (1698), new edition brought down to 1700 (1701); _institutiones biblicae_ (1698); followed by annotated editions of the psalms (1701), of the book of wisdom, &c. (1703), and of the entire bible in 1705.