which he found very little difficulty, and then applied himself to the study of the poetical writers, and the prophets, which he read over so often, with so close an attention, and fo happy a memory, that he could not only tranflate them without a moment's hesitation into Latin or French, but turn with the fame facility the translations into the original language in his tenth year.

Growing at length weary of being confined to a book which he could almoft entirely repeat, he deviated by stealth into other studies, and, as his translation of Benjamin is a fufficient evidence, he read a multitude of writers of various kinds. In his twelfth year he applied more particularly to the study of the fathers, and councils of the fix firft centuries, and began to make a regular collection of their canons. He read every author in the original, having difcovered fo much negligence or ignorance in most translations, that he paid no regard to their authority.

Thus he continued his ftudies, neither drawn aside by pleasures, nor difcouraged by difficulties. The greatest obstacle to his improvement was want of books, with which his narrow fortune could not liberally fupply him; fo that he was obliged to borrow the greatest part of those which his ftudies required, and to return them when he had read them, without being able to confult them occasionally, or to recur to them when his memory fhould fail him.

It is obfervable, that neither his diligence, unintermitted as it was, nor his want of books, a want of which he was in the highest degree fenfible, ever produced in him that afperity, which a long and reclufe.

creates.

life, without any circumftance of difquiet, frequently He was always gay, lively, and facetious, a temper which contributed much to recommend his learning, and which fome ftudents much fuperior in age would confult their ease, their reputation, and their intereft, by copying from him.

In the year 1735 he published Anti-Artemonius, five Initium Evangelii S. Joannis, adverfus Artemonium vindicatum, and attained fuch a degree of reputation, that not only the publick, but princes, who are commonly the laft by whom merit is distinguished, began to interest themselves in his fuccefs, for the fame year the king of Pruffia, who had heard of his early advances in literature on account of a scheme for discovering the longitude, which had been sent to the Royal Society of Berlin, and which was tranfmitted afterwards by him to Paris and London, engaged to take care of his fortune, having received further proofs of his abilities at his own court.

Mr. Barretier, being promoted to the cure of the church of Stetin, was obliged to travel with his fon thither from Schwabach, through Leipfic and Berlin, a journey very agreeable to his fon, as it would furnish him with new opportunities of improving his knowledge, and extending his acquaintance among men of letters. For this purpofe they ftaid fome time at Leipfic, and then travelled to Hall, where young Barretier fo diftinguished himself in his converfation with the profeffors of the univerfity, that they offered him his degree of doctor in philofophy, a dignity correfpondent to that of mafter of arts among us. Barretier drew up that night fome pofitions in philosophy,

7

and

and the mathematicks, which he fent immediately to the prefs, and defended the next day in a crowded auditory, with so much wit, fpirit, prefence of thought, and strength of reason, that the whole univerfity was delighted and amazed: he was then admitted to his degree, and attended by the whole concourfe to his lodgings, with compliments and acclamations.

His Thefes or philofophical pofitions, which he printed in compliance with the practice of that university, ran through feveral editions in a few weeks, and no teftimony of regard was wanting that could contribute to animate him in his progrefs.

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When they arrived at Berlin, the king ordered him to be brought into his prefence, and was fo much pleased with his converfation, that he fent for him almost every day during his ftay at Berlin; and diverted himself with engaging him in converfations upon a multitude of fubjects, and in disputes with learned men; on all which occafions he acquitted himself fo happily, that the king formed the highest ideas of his capacity and future eminence. And thinking, perhaps with reason, that active life was the nobleft fphere of a great genius, he recommended to him the study of modern hiftory, the customs of nations, and thofe parts of learning, that are of use in publick tranfactions and civil employments, declaring that fuch abilities properly cultivated might exalt him, in ten years, to be the greatest minister of state in Europe. Barretier, whether we attribute it to his moderation or inexperience, was not dazzled by the prospect of such high promotion, but anfwered, that he was too much pleafed with science and quiet, to leave them for fuch inextricable ftudies,

or fuch harraffing fatigues. A refolution fo unpleafing to the king, that his father attributes to it the delay of those favours which they had hopes of receiving, the king having, as he obferves, determined to employ him in the ministry.

It is not impoffible that paternal affection might suggest to Mr. Barretier fome falfe conceptions of the king's defigns; for he infers from the introduction of his fon to the young princes, and the careffes which he received from them, that the king intended him for their preceptor; a scheme, fays he, which fome other refolution happily destroyed.

Whatever was originally intended, and by whatever means these intentions were fruftrated; Barretier, after having been treated with the highest regard by the whole royal family, was difmiffed with a prefent of two hundred crowns; and his father, inftead of being fixed at Stetin, was made paftor of the French church at Hall; a place more commodious for ftudy, to which they retired; Barretier being firft admitted into the Royal Society at Berlin, and recommended by the king to the university at Hall.

At Hall he continued his ftudies with his ufual application and fuccefs, and, either by his own reflections or the perfuafions of his father, was prevailed upon to give up his own inclinations to those of the king, and direct his enquiries to thofe fubjects that had been recommended by him.

He continued to add new acquifitions to his learning, and to increase his reputation by new performances, till, in the beginning of his nineteenth year, his health began to decline, and his indifpofition, which, being not alarming or violent, was perhaps not at first fuf

ficiently

ficiently regarded, increased by flow degrees for eighteen months, during which he spent days among his books, and neither neglected his studies, nor left his gaiety, till his diftemper, ten days before his death, deprived him of the ufe of his limbs: he then prepared himself for his end, without fear or emotion, and on the 5th of October, 1740, refigned his foul into the hands of his Saviour, with confidence and tranquillity.