Guignes, Joseph De

Guignes, Joseph De a French Orientalist, father of Chretien Louis Joseph (q.v.), was born at Pontoise, October 19, 1721. He studied the Oriental languages under Fourmont, whom he succeeded in 1745. When the French Revolution broke out, Guignes was deprived of his position, and lived in great poverty. He died at Paris, March 3, 1800. Guignies, who had made the Chinese language a specialty, believed it to be related to the Egyptian. See his Menoire, dans Lequel on Prouve que les Chinois Sont. une: — Colonie- Egyptienne (Paris, 1759). His main work is Histoire Generale des Huns, des Turcs, des Mogols et des Autres Tatores Occidentzaux (Paris, 1756- 58,4 volumes). (B.P.)