DRELINCOURT, Charles (1595-1669), an eminent minister of the French Calvinistic church, was born at Sedan on the 10th July 1595. He studied first at the university of his native town, and afterwards at Saumur under the celebrated Professor Mark Duncan. In June 1618 he undertook the charge of the French Protestant church at Langres, where his ministrations were highly appreciated. The church, however, failed to receive the necessary royal sanction, and early in 1620 Drelincourt removed to Paris, where he was ordained minister of the church at Charenton. He was a popular and eloquent preacher, distinguished especially by his power of practically applying the words of Scripture. He was the author of a large number of works in devotional and polemical theology, several of which had great influence, and attained a very extensive circulation. His Catechism and his Consolations against the Fear of Death (Consolations contre les frayeurs de la mort) became well known in England by means of translations, which were very frequently reprinted. It has been said that Defoe wrote his fiction of Mrs Veal, who came from the other world to recommend the perusal of Drelincourt on death, for the express purpose of promoting the sale of an English translation of the work. His controversial works were very numerous. Directed entirely against Roman Catholicism, they did much to strengthen and consolidate the Protestant party in France. Drelincourt died on the 3d November 1669. In 1625 he had married the only daughter of a wealthy merchant, by whom he had a family of sixteen. Several of his sons were distinguished as theologians or physicians. The third, Charles, was professor of physic at the university of Leyden, and physician to the prince of Orange; the sixth, Peter, was ordained a priest ...