DELILLE, Jacques (1738-1813), a French poet, was born on the 22d of June 1738, at Aigues-Perse in Auvergne. He was an illegitimate child, and was connected by his mother with the family of the Chancellor' de l’Hôpital. With very slender means of support he was educated at the college of Lisieux in Paris, and made such progress in his studies as augured well for his future distinction. When his education was completed, he was forced to accept of a very humble situation as elementary teacher in the college of Beauvais; but this was soon exchanged for the more honourable station of professor of humanity at Amiens. After returning to Paris, where he obtained a professorship at the Collège de la Marche, he speedily acquired a considerable poetical fame, which was greatly increased by the publication (1769) of his translation of the Georgies of Virgil, which he had begun at Amiens. Voltaire was greatly struck with the enterprise and the success of Delille; and without any personal acquaintance with the poet he, of his own accord, recommended him and his work to the good graces of the Academy. He was at once elected a member, but was not admitted until 1774 owing to the opposition of Richelieu, who alleged that he was too young. He now aimed at a higher distinction than even a finished translation of the most finished poem in the world could confer upon him; and in the Jardins, which he published in 1782, he made good his pretensions as an original poet. Before he had gone far in the composition of his next poem, which was not, indeed, published till after many of his other works, he made a journey to Constantinople in the train of the ambassador Μ. de Choiseul Gouffier. On his return to Paris he lectured, in his capacity of professor, on the Latin poets, and was attended ...