Bernard Le Bovier Or Le Bouyer De Fontenelle, a French writer, born in Rouen, Feb. 11, 1657, died in Paris, Jan. 9, 1757. He was the nephew of Corneille by his mother. He studied law, but not succeeding in his first suit devoted himself to literature. His first performances were light poems, pastorals, and plays; his tragedy of Aspar, which appeared in 1680, was hissed by the public, and ridiculed by Racine and Boileau. In 1683 he published the Dialogues des morts, which made the beginning of his reputation. His Entretiens sur la pluralite des mondes (1686) and Histoire des oracles (1687), the latter an abridgment of a Latin work by Van Dale, a Dutch author, rendered him popular among those who were fond of scientific matters expounded in an elegant and somewhat affected style. In 1688 he published Poesies pastorelles. His Histoire de Vaca-demie des sciences (1696-'99) and Eloges des academiciens (1708-'19) are still admired for their clearness and elegance. In 1699 he was elected perpetual secretary of the academy.