Dutens

Dutens, LOUIS, a French writer, was born at Tours, 15th January 1730. A Protestant, he came to England about 1750, went with the English ambassador to the court of Turin as his secretary, and afterwards remained as chargé-d'affaires. He held a pension, in 1766 was presented to the rich living of Elsdon, in Northumberland, and was likewise made Historiographer Royal of Great Britain. He died 23d May 1812. He undertook the first comprehensive edition of Leibnitz's works (6 vols. Geneva, 1769), and wrote books on the history of discoveries, English politics, theology, numismatics, &c., and poems. See his Mémoires (1806; trans.).—His nephew, JOSEPH MICHEL DUTENS (1765-1848), wrote on political economy.