Huel, Joseph Nicolas

Huel, Joseph Nicolas a French philosopher, was born at Mattaincourt June 17, 1690. After the completion of his studies at Paris he took orders, and was made curate of Rameux. He is said (Barbier Dict. des Anonymes) to be the author of Essai philosophique sur la crainte de la Mort, and of Moyen de rendre nos religielses utiles et de nous exempter des dots qu'elles exigent (1750), in which important reforms of the religious houses of the Roman Catholic Church are advocated. His special aim was the employment of the inmates of convents in instructing the youth of the land, instead of spending a life of idleness, partly, if not wholly, at the expense of the state. The book was suppressed, but reprinted eleven years after, without, however, awakening any general interest in this reformatory movement. Huel died at Romeux Sept. 3,1769. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Geneir. 25, 377 sq.; Classe, Remarques bibliographiques sur Huel, in the Memoires de I'Academie de Nancy (1856): p. 251. (J. H. W.)