Francois Jean Chastellux, marquis de, a French military officer and man of letters, born in Paris in 1734, died there, Oct. 28, 1788. At an early age he entered the army, and distinguished himself in Germany during the seven years' war, and afterward in America, where he served as major general in the army of Rochambeau, and where his amiable character gained for him the friendship of Washington. The work which established his literary reputation was entitled De la felicite publique, published in 1772. The leading idea of this work was the progress of the human mind as understood by Condorcet and his friends. It is wanting in plan and method, and noted for its bitterness against Christianity. It is now simply regarded as a literary curiosity, although considered by Voltaire as superior to Montesquieu's L'Esprit des lois. The Voyages dans l'Amerique Septentrionale, published in 1786, contains his journal written while travelling from Newport to Philadelphia, and thence to Saratoga and Portsmouth, and also his journal of travels in Virginia. It has notices of the natural history of the country, interesting details concerning the localities and events of the war of the American revolution, and observations on the character of the principal heroes of that war.

It is in an agreeable and lively style, sometimes eloquent and sometimes frivolous, and is valuable as conveying the impressions made by our revolution upon an intelligent foreigner. The most interesting portion is the account of Mr. Jefferson, whose guest he was at Monticello. Only 24 copies were printed, but an English translation was published in London, with maps and engravings (2 vols. 8vo, 1787). His Discours sur les advantages et les desavan-tages qui resultent pour l'Europe de la decou-verte de l'Amerique appeared in 1787, and resolved the question, which had been proposed by Raynal, in favor of the advantages. It was praised by La Harpe as the best of the works of Chastellux.