Bouvier, Jean Baptiste

Bouvier, Jean Baptiste, a French prelate, was born Jan. 17, 1783, at St. Charles-la-Foret, Mayenne. Before his elevation to the episcopal see of Le Mans, in 1834, he was vicar-general of Le Mans and superior of the seminary. While the empire lasted, and during part of the restoration, ecclesiastical studies were greatly neglected. The works of Bouvier, which were considered as high authority, gave a great impulse to the teaching, in the seminaries, of both philosophy and theology. His Institutiones Theologicoe and Institutiones Philosophice were adopted in a great number of ecclesiastical establishments in France, as also in Savoy and Belgium. He also wrote several other works. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.