Gabriel Daniel
Gabriel Daniel (8 February 1649 – 23 June 1728) was a French Jesuit historian.
Biography
Born in Rouen, he was educated by the Jesuits, entered the order at the age of eighteen, and became superior at Paris.[1]
Works
He is best known by his Histoire de France depuis l'établissement de la monarchie française (first complete edition, 1713), which was republished in 1720, 1721, 1725, 1742, and (the last edition, with notes by Henri Griffet) 1755–1760. Daniel published an abridgment in 1724 (English trans., 1726), and another abridgment was published by Dorival in 1751.[1]
Though full of prejudices which affect his accuracy, Daniel had the advantage of consulting valuable original sources. His Histoire de la milice française, etc. (1721) is considered superior to his Histoire de France. Daniel also wrote a reply to Pascal's Provincial Letters, entitled Entretiens de Cléanthe et d'Eudoxe sur les lettres au provincial (1694); two treatises on Descartes's theory as to the intelligence of the lower animals, and other works.[1]
Daniel's work Voyage du Monde de Descartes[2] has been noted as an early example of science fiction, as the text takes the form of a narrative exploration of Cartesian philosophy, metaphorically conceived as a voyage, with the last section detailing the protagonists' journey to a third heaven to explore Descartes's theory of vortices.[3][4]
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
Gabriel Daniel — Historian and controversialist, born at Rouen, France, 8 Feb., 1649; died at Paris, 23 June, 1728. He entered the Society of Jesus at Paris in 1667, and after making his last vows at Rennes, 1683, was assigned to the professed house of Paris where his extraordinary talents resulted in his being appointed historiographer of France by Louis XIV. Of the published writings of Father Daniel, consisting of philosophical, theological, and historical treatises, many have been translated into German, English, Spanish, Italian, and Latin. In the first class perhaps the most famous was the oft-reprinted "Voyage du monde de Descartes", a refutation of the vortex theory of that philosopher. His refutation of Pascal's "Provincial Letters", which underwent several revisions and reprints, and his published correspondence with Natalis Alexander respecting the Dominican and Jesuit doctrines of Probabilism, Grace, Predestination, etc., stand out conspicuously among his theological works. He published also many shorter works, principally against the Jansenists, and one volume of a projected course of theology for seminaries.
But it is as the author of the celebrated "Histoire de France" that Father Daniel has achieved his most lasting fame. This work in seventeen volumes was the fruit of his ripest years and was the most complete and accurate history of France that had then appeared (1713). It is still valuable, though overshadowed by more recent works. It went through many editions, and an abridgment of it in eight volumes made by the author was translated into German, English, and Italian. Besides this, a valuable work from original sources, the "Histoire de la milice française", contributed much to Daniel's reputation as a scholarly historian. The best edition of his great history is that of Paris (1755-60), in seventeen quarto volumes.
References
Bibliography
- Carlos Sommervogel, Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jesus, t. ii.
Further reading
- Daniel, P. G. (1739), Voyage du monde de Descartes (in French), Pierre Gosse.
- Nicholls, Peter; Clute, John (2022). "Daniel, Gabriel". In Clute, John; Langford, David; Sleight, Graham (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (4th ed.). Retrieved 2025-03-30.
- Roberts, Adam (2016), The History of Science Fiction (2nd ed.), Palgrave, doi:10.1057/978-1-137-56957-8, ISBN 978-1-137-56956-1.