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Morclar, Jean-Piere-Francois de Ripert, Marquis de

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a French religious writer, noted as a defender of the Huguenots, was born October 1, 1711, at Apt, Provence. He was descended from the family of the dauphiness, and was the son of a magistrate whom the chancellor Daguesseau had surnamed L'Amour du bien, December 19, 1732, he succeeded his father as procurator general to the Parliament of Provence; he was then twenty-one years of age. He was a ready orator, a brilliant lawyer, and profoundly versed in public law. From 1749 he energetically declared himself in favor of the Protestants, and endeavored to obtain for them civil rehabilitation and liberty of conscience. In his article, on the clandestine marriages of the Reformed, he raises his voice, in the name of justice and humanity, against the iniquitous laws which condemned to ignominy and illegitimacy the fruits of their unions; and at the same time he demonstrated, by learned calculations, that was greatly to the interest of the state to favor the progress of population. In 1752 the republic of Gendva a prey to civil dissensions, rendered homage to the integrity of the magistrate by choosing him as arbiter of the two parties in collision. — "At this time," says M Villemain, "an event occurred which developed the talents of several men in the parliaments of the kingdoms this was the trial and expulsion of the celebrated society of the Jesuits. Monclar took a lively and active interest in this affair, and his expose of their doctrines was a masterpiece of method and clearness, without exaggeration, and without false eloquence. In the remonstrance, that he was charged to draw up in the name of those opposed to the Jesuits, Monclar knew how to unite dignified firmness with the respect due to the sovereign and to avoid that rather republican severity with which Voltaire reproaches Malesherbes." He was instrumental in restoring Venaissin to France (in 1768), and received for his services from Louis XV a pension and the title of marquis (October 1769). Monclar, after forty years of active life, withdrew to his estate of Saint-Saturnin, where he died, February 12, 1773. Romanists claim that Monclar in his dying hour made known to his confessor a regret for what he had said against the Holy See and the Society of Jesus. But there seems to be no ground for the declaration, as the whole life of the marquis speaks against any such change. He wrote Moire theologique et polique au sujet des marinage clandestins des Protestants en France (1755, 8vo); at the time of its appearance it aroused a warm discussion: more than twenty pamphlets were published for or against: — Compte rendu des Constitutions des Jesuite (1762, 2 volumes, 12mo); reprinted since with the Requisitoire du 4 Janvier, 1763, and the Conclusions du 5 Mars, 1765, on the bull Apostolicum pascendi (Paris, 1769, 2 volumes, 4to and 8vo). The complete works of Monclar, comprising 8 volumes, 8vo, were published in 1855. See Bordly, Eloge de Monclar, pronounced November 1843; Achard, Dict. de Provence, s.v.; Villemain, Tableau du dix-huitieme siecle, de leon; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Gezerale, s.v.