Merault, Athanase Renee

Merault, Athanase Renee a noted French educator, was born at Paris in 1744, and was educated at the College of Jeuilly. Although possessing a very large fortune, he entered the Oratory in order to devote himself to the instruction of the young. After his twenty-fifth year he was director of the house of education. Compelled to leave Paris by the Revolution, he retired to Orleans, where his parents resided. Imprisoned in 1793, and set free again after the 9th of Thermidor, he remained in the city, and became in 1805 grand vicar of the bishopric of Bernier, which placed him at the head of the great, seminary. The Church of Orleans is indebted to the abbot Merault for several religious and charitable institutions, to the foundation of which he devoted a large portion of his money. He died at Orleans June 13, 1835. His works are, Les Apologistes Involontaires ou la Religion eternelleprouvee et defenduepar les objections memes des incredules (Paris, 1806, anonymous, and 1820, 12mo);-Les Apologistes, ou la Religion Chretienne prouvee par ses ennemis comme par ses amis (Orleans, 1821, 8vo and 12mo); a continuation of the preceding work: - Conspiration de l'impiete contre l'humanite (Paris, 1822, 8vo): -Rapport sur Phistoire des Hebreux rapprochee des temps contemporains (Orleans, 1825, 12mo):Enseginements de la Religion (Orleans, 1827, 5 vols. 12mo) : - Recueil des Mandements sur l'instructipn des peiiles (Paris, 1830, 12mo).