Labbe, Phillippe

Labbe, Phillippe a celebrated French Jesuit, was born at Bourges July 10,1607. He joined the order in 1623, and became professor of ethics, philosophy, and moral theology, first at the College of Bourges, where he had been educated, and afterwards at Paris, where he settled in 1643 or 1644. After teaching theology for two years in that city, he turned himself exclusively to literary labors. He died at Paris Mar. 25, 1667. Labbe was a man of extensive learning, uncommon memory, and great activity. Sotwel, Niceron, and Moreri consider him as the author of seventy-five different works, some of them quite insignificant, however. His chief claim to renown rests on his Manual of Councils, which was completed by Gabriel Cossart, and published at Paris in 1671 (16 vols. in 17, folio; to some copies an 18th vol. is added, containing Jacobatius de Conciliis). The most complete edition was published under the title SS. Concilia, ad regiam editionemr exacta, quce olim quarta parte prodiit auctior. Studio Philip. Labbei, et Gabr. Cossartii. Nunc verb integre, insertis Stephani Baluzii et Joannis Harduini additanentis, plurimis prmterea undicunque conquisitis monumentis, notis insuper ac observationibus, firmiori fundamento conciliorum epochas prcecipuefulcientibus, longe locupletior et emendastior exhibetur. Curante Nicolao Coleti (Venet. 1728, 23 vols. fol.). Et supplementum J. D. Mansi (Lucre, 1748-52,6 vols.; in all, 29 vols. fol.). This is the most complete collection extant of the Councils of the Church. It was reprinted, with the supplement incorporated, and edited by Mansi, at Florence (1757-98, 31 vols. folio)-a much esteemed and accurate edition; but it only reaches to the year 1509, while the edition by Coletus brings the councils down to 1727. Among his other works the most important are, SS. Patrum theologorum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum

utriusque Testamenti Bibliotheca chronologica. Cum pinacotheca scriptorum Soc. Jesu (Par. 1659,16mo): -L'etymologie deplusieurs mots Francois, contre les abus de la secte des Hellenistes du Port-Royal (Paris, 1661, 12mo):-Bibliotheca bibliothecarum (3d edit. Roth. 1678, 8vo): — De Byzantince historie scriptoribus (Byzantine Histories, i): — Nova Bibliotheca MSS. Librorum (1657, 2 vols. fol.): — De Scriptoribus Eccles. Dissertatio (2 vols. 8vo); etc. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 28:338; Darling, Cyclopcedia Bibliographica, ii, 1751; Pierer, Universal Lexikon, 9:944. (J. N. P.)