Berardier Denis

Berardier Denis (surnamed Finelon), a French priest, professor, and member of the first national assembly, was born at Quimper in 1729. He was the son of a merchant of Qulimper, and first pursued his studies at a Jesuit school at that place. At Paris, where he afterwards went, he studied philosophy and theology, and became doctor at the Sorbonne. At the time of the expulsion of the Jesuits. in 1762, he was appointed by M. de la Chalotais principal of the College of Quimper, to which institution he presented a cabinet of natural sciences, very valuable for that epoch. The opposition which he encountered on the part of the Jesuits, it is said, led him to abandon Quimper. March 19, 1778, he was appointed principal; May 1, 1780, administrator; and in 1787 grand-master of the College Louis-le-Grand, at Paris. From this time he was found mingling-with men; and in the memorable affairs of the epoch. He numbered among his pupils Luce of Lancinal, Camillus Desmoulins, and Maximilian Robespierre. Camillus saved his life Sept. 2, and still later, in 1793, he turned away from the dwelling of his master the dangers which were threatened by the rioters. As to Robespierre, he obtained at the close of his course of study, at the recommendation of Berardier, a gratuity of six hundred pounds. Berardier held his position in 1789, as assistant deputy of the clergy at the constituent assembly, when he opposed the civil constitution of the clergy. He signed the protestation against this act, and naturally refused the bishopric of Quimper, to which he was elected. He became grand-master of the College of Conformity, and died in 1794. He wrote, among other works, L'Eglise Constitutionnelle Confondue par elle-meine (Paris, Crapart, 1792): — Les Principes de la Foi sur le Gouvernement de l'Eglise, etc. (ibid. 1791). This work had fourteen editions in less than a month, and some were entitled Les Vicis Principes de la Constitutian du Clerge. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.