Pierre Desmaiseaux

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Pierre Desmaiseaux (c. 1673 – July 11, 1745), was a French writer.

He was born in Saillat, France. His father, a minister of the reformed church, had to leave France on the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and took refuge in Geneva, where Pierre was educated. Pierre Bayle gave him an introduction to the 3rd Lord Shaftesbury, with whom, in 1689, he went to England, where he engaged in literary work. He remained in close touch with the religious refugees in England and Holland, and constantly in correspondence with the leading continental savants and writers, who were in the habit of employing him to conduct such business as they might have in England. In 1720 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society.

Among his works are Vie de St Evremond (1711), Vie de Boileau-Despreaux (1712), Vie de Bayle (1730). He also took an active part in preparing the Bibliothéque raisonné des ouvrages de l'Europe (1728-1753), and the Bibliothéque britannique (1733-1747), and edited a selection of St. Evremond's writings (1706). Part of Desmaiseaux's correspondence is preserved in the British Museum, and other letters are in the royal library at Copenhagen.