Mascaron, Jules

Mascaron, Jules a distinguished French Roman Catholic preacher, was born at Aix in March, 1634. He studied at the college of the Oratorians in his native city, and afterwards at that of Mans, where he was appointed professor of rhetoric in 1656. About the same time he commenced preaching at Saumur, and soon attracted attention. He afterwards preached successively at Marseilles, Aix, and Nantes, and then at Paris, in the churches of the Oratory, of the Louvre, and of St. Andre des Arts. In 1666 he preached, in presence of Francis de Harlay, archbishop of Rouen, the funeral sermon of the queen dowager, Anne of Austria. This discourse was so much admired that, aided by the influence of De Harlay, Mascaron was admitted at Versailles. Louis XIV was greatly pleased with him, and appointed him court preacher. He was made bishop of Tulle in 1671, but his bulls arrived only two years afterwards. In the mean time Mascaron preached three other funeral sermons: those of the duke of Beaufort, of Henrietta of England, and of chancellor Seguier (the two first are considered his best). He finally went into his diocese, and wrote there, in 1675, the funeral sermon of marshal Trenne, eulogized by La Harpe as a chef-d'oeuvre. Made bishop of Agen in 1678, he founded there a theological seminary and a hospital. He only left his diocese once, to preach his last sermon before Louis XIV. He died Nov. 20,1703. His Oraisons funebres passed through a large number of editions (Paris, 1704, 12mo; reprinted in 1740, 1745, 1785, 1828, etc., and in 1734, together with those of Bossuet and Flechier). See A. de Bellecombe, L'Agenois illustre; Dict. of Biog. s.v. Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 34:125. (J. N. P.)