tion arrived. His sudden death, at this time, occasioned the following jocular epitaph : "Ci git monseigneur de Marca, He left the care of his manuscripts to Mr. Baluze, who had lived with him ever since June, 1656, and who has written his life, whence this account is taken. Baluze also published an edition of his work" De Concordia," in 1704, as originally written. The only other works he wrote of any note are his "Histoire de Bearn," Paris, 1640, fol. and his "Marca Hispanica, sive Limes Hispanicus," Paris, 1688, fol. edited by Baluze. Le Clerc very justly thinks Baluze's account of De Marca, a panegyric or an apology rather than a life. The most favourable trait in De Marca's character was his ambition to rise by learning, which certainly first brought him into notice. He is said to have renounced all the pleasures of youth, while he was at school, for the love of books; and to have foretold to his school-fellows, who spent their time in vain amusements, the difference which would one day appear between their glory and his. It was at Toulouse that he laid the groundwork of his great learning; and he did not neglect to make himself a complete master of the Greek tongue, which greatly distinguished him from other learned men. He was early married to a young lady of the ancient family of the viscounts of Lavedan, who bore him several children; but she dying in 1632, he went into orders.' MARC-ANTONIO. See RAIMONDI. MARCELLINUS. See AMMIANUS. MARCELLO (BENEDETTO), a nobleman celebrated for musical knowledge, was born July 24, 1680, at Venice, and was the descendant of one of the most illustrious families of that republic. He had cultivated music so seriously and successfully under the guidance of the celebrated Gasparini, that no contemporary professor was more reverenced for musical science, or half so much praised for his abilities as a composer, as Marcello; and besides his musical productions, consisting of psalms, operas, madri 1 Dupin.-Gen. Dict.-Niceron, vol. XII.-Perrault's Les Hommes Illustres. gals, songs, and cantatas, he was frequently his own poet, and sometimes assumed the character of lyric bard for other musicians. It is probable that Marcello had received some disgust in his early attempts at dramatic music; for, in 1720, he published a furious satire upon composers, singing-masters, and singers in general, under the title of "Teatro alla Moda," or 66 An easy and certain Method of composing and performing Italian Operas in the modern manner." But his great musical work, to which the late Mr. Avison's encomiums and Mr. Garth's publication to English words, have given celebrity in our own country, was first printed at Venice, in 8 vols. folio, under the following title: "Estro poetico-armonico, Parafrasi sopra i primi 50 Salmi, Poesia di Girolamo Ascanio Giustiniani, Musica di Benedetto Marcello, Patrizj Veneti, 1724 and 1725." Dr. Burney, after a careful examination of this elaborate work, is of opinion, that though it has considerable merit, the author has been over-praised; as the subjects of many of his fugues and airs are not only common and old-fashioned at present, but were far from new at the time these psalms were composed. But, adds Dr. Burney, Marcello was a Venetian nobleman, as Venosa was a Neapolitan prince; both did honour to music by cultivating it; and both expected and received a greater return in fame than the legal interest of the art would allow. Marcello died at Brescia, June 25, 1739, or, according to our principal authority, in 1741. He was author of a drama called "Arato in Sparta," which was set by Ruggieri, and performed at Venice in 1704; and in 1710 he produced both the words and the music of an oratorio called "Giuditta." He set the "Psyche" of Cassini about the same time; and in 1718 he published "Sonnets" of his own writing, without music." MARCHAND (PROSPER), an author to whom the curious in literary history are greatly indebted, was probably a native of Paris, and born towards the conclusion of the seventeenth century. He was bred up as a bookseller in that city, a business which always requires some knowledge of books, but which he carried to an extent very unusual, and for forty years employed almost the whole of his time in inspecting the works of eminent authors, inquiring into their history, their editions, differences, and every species 1 By Dr. Burney in Hist. of Music-and Rees's Cyclopædia.—Dict. Hist, of information which forms the accurate bibliographer. During the time that Mr. Bernard published the "Nouvelles de la Republiques des Lettres," Marchand was his constant correspondent, and contributed all the literary anecdotes from Paris, which appeared in that journal. Being, however, a conscientious protestant, and suspecting that in consequence of the repeal of the edict of Nantz, he might be interrupted in the exercise of his religion, he went to reside in Holland, and carried on the bookselling trade there for some time, until meeting with some lack of honesty among his brethren (peu de bonne-foi qu'il avoit trouvé), he relinquished business, and devoted his time entirely to literary history and biography. In both his knowledge was so conspicuous, that the booksellers were always happy to avail themselves of his opinion respecting intended publications, and more happy when they could engage his assistance as an editor. In the latter character, we find that he superintended an edition, 1. of Bayle's “Dictionary," and "Letters," both which he illustrated with notes. 2. "Satyre Menippée," Ratisbonne (Brussels), 1714, 3 vols. 8vo. 3. "Cymbalum mundi," by Bonaventure de Perrieres, Amst. 1732, 12mo. 4. Fenelon's "Direction pour la conscience d'un roi," Hague, 1747, 8vo and 12mo. The abbé Brenner's "Histoire des Revolutions de Hongrie," ibid. 1739, 2 vols. 4to, and 6 vols. 12mo. 6. "Lettres, Memoires, et Negociations du comte d'Estrades," London (Hague), 1743, 9 vols. 12mo. 7. "Histoire de Fenelon," Hague, 1747, 12mo. 8. "Oeuvres de Brantome," ibid. 1740, 15 vols. 12mo. 9. "Oeuvres de Villon," ibid. 1742, 8vo, &c. &c. 5. Marchand was also one of the principal writers in the "Journal Litteraire," which was reckoned one of the best of the kind, and he contributed occasionally to other periodical works. He maintained at the same time a regular and extensive correspondence with the most learned men in different parts of Europe; to whom he communicated, and from whom he received communications, and often had it in his power to assist them from the stores of his owa curious and well-chosen library. Besides the "Anti-Cotton, ou Refutation de la lettre declaratoire du P. Cotton, avec un dissertation," printed at the Hague in 1738, at the end of the history of Don Inigo de Guipuscoa, and the "Chef-d'oeuvre d'un inconnu,' often reprinted, he published in 1740" Histoire de l'Im primerie," Hague, 4to, a work of great research, and often consulted by typographical antiquaries, but deficient in perspicuity of arrangement. A valuable supplement to it was published by Mercier, the abbé of St. Leger, 1775, 2 vols. 4to, which French bibliographers say is better executed than Marchand's work, and certainly is more correct. But the work which best preserves the name of Marchand, was one to which we have taken many opportunities to own our obligations, his "Dictionnaire Historique, ou Memoires Critiques et Litteraires, concernant la vie et les ouvrages de divers personnages distingués, particulierement dans la republique des lettres," 1758-9, 2 vols. folio. This has been by his editor and others called a Supplement to Bayle; but, although Marchand has touched upon a few of the authors in Bayle's series, and has made useful corrections and valuable additions to them, yet in general the materials are entirely his own, and the information of his own discovering. The articles are partly biographical, and partly historical; but his main object being the history of books, he sometimes enlarges to a degree of minuteness, which bibliographers only can pardon, and it must be owned sometimes brings forward inquiries into the history of authors and works which his utmost care can scarcely rescue from the oblivion in which he found them. With this objection, which by no means affects the totality of the work, we know few volumes that afford more satisfaction or information on the subjects introduced. His accuracy is in general precise, but there are many errors of the press, and the work laboured under the disadvantage of not being handed to the press by the author. He often intended this, and as often deferred it, because his materials increased so that he never could say when his design. was accomplished; and at length, when he had nearly overcome all his scruples, and was about to print, a stroke of palsy deprived him of the use of his right hand, and unfitted him for every business but that of preparing to die, and the settlement of his affairs. This last took up little time. He was a man of frugal habits, content with the decent necessaries of life, and laid out what remained of his money in books. The items of his will, therefore, were few, but liberal. He left his personal property to a society established at the Hague for the education of the poor; and his library and MSS. to the university of Leyden. He died, at an advanced age, June 14, 1756. His "Dictionnaire" he consigned to the care of a friend, who has given us only the initials of his name (J. N. S. A.) to whom he likewise intrusted a new edition of his "History of Printing," which has never appeared. This friend undertook to publish the Dictionary with the greater alacrity, as Marchand assured him that the manuscript was ready. Ready it certainly was, but in such a state as frightened the editor, being all written upon little pieces of paper of different sizes, some not bigger than one's thumb-nail, and written in a character so exceeding small, that it was not legible to the naked eye. The editor, therefore, said perhaps truly, that this was the first book ever printed by the help of a microscope. These circumstances, however, may afford a sufficient apology for the errors of the press, already noticed; and the editor certainly deserves praise for having so well accomplished his undertaking amidst so many difficulties.' MARCHE (OLIVER DE LA), a French courtier and author, of the fifteenth century, was the son of a Burgundian gentleman. He was first page, and afterwards gentleman to Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, who so highly esteemed his fidelity, that he refused to give him up at the demand of Louis XI. La Marche served afterwards with zeal under Charles the Rash, who was slain at the battle of Nancy, in 1477. After this, he had the office of grand maitre d'hotel to Maximilian of Austria, who had married the heiress of Burgundy; and, maintaining the same post under the archduke Philip, was sent on an embassy to France after the death of Louis XI. He died at Brussels Feb. 1, 1501. His works are, 1. " Memoirs, or Chronicles," printed at Lyons in 1562, and at Brussels in 1616, 4to. They are reckoned inferior to the Memoirs of Comines, as to their style, but perhaps superior as to their sincerity. The author relates several curious anecdotes in a manner which, though flat, is rendered pleasing by its frankness. 2. "A Treatise on Duels," &c. 8vo. 3. "Triomphe des Dames d'Honneur," 1520, 8vo; the Triumph of virtuous Women. This is a work of dull and trivial morality, full of quaint allusions and metaphors. Several other performances are said to be extant in print, and in manuscript, but from the account given of them there is 1 Preface to the Dictionnaire.-Dict. Hist. |