Richard, CHARLES-LOUIS, theologian and publicist; b. at Blainville-sur-l’Eau, in Lorraine, April, 1711; d. at Mons, Belgium, August 16, 1794. His family, though of noble descent, was poor, and he received his education in the schools of his native town. At the age of sixteen he entered the Order of St. Dominic and, after his religious profession, was sent to study theology in Paris, where he received the Doctorate at the Sorbonne. He next applied himself to preaching and the defense of religion against d’Alembert, Voltaire, and their confederates. The outbreak of the Revolution forced him to seek refuge at Mons, in Belgium. During the second invasion of that country by the French, in 1794, old age prevented him from fleeing, and, though he eluded his pursuers for some time, he was at last detected, tried by court martial, and shot, as the author of “Parallele des Juifs qui ont crucifie Jesus-Christ, avec les Francais qui ont execute leur roi” (Mons, 1794). Among his works may be mentioned “Bibliotheque sacree, ou dictionnaire universelle des sciences ecclesiastiques” (5 vols., Paris, 1760) and “Supplement” (Paris, 1765), the last and enlarged edition being that of Paris, 1821-27, 29 vols., and “Analyses des conciles generaux et particuliers” (5 vols., Paris, 1772-77).
H. J. SCHROEDER