RAPINPaul de (1661-1725), sieur of Thoyras, French historian, was the son of Jacques de Rapin, avocat at Castres (Tarn), where he was born on 25th March 1661. He was educated at the Protestant academy of Saumur, and in 1679 he became an advocate, but soon afterwards entered the army. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 and the death of his father, which happened two months afterwards, led him to come to England; but, unable to find employment there, he crossed to Holland and enlisted in the company of French volunteers at Utrecht commanded by Daniel de Rapin, his cousin-german. He accompanied the prince of Orange to England in 1688, and the following year Lord Kingston made him ensign in his regiment, with which he proceeded to Ireland. He took part in the siege of Carrickfergus and the battle of the Boyne, and was shot through the shoulder at the battle of Limerick. Soon afterwards he was promoted captain; but in 1693 he resigned in order to become tutor to the earl of Portland’s son. His next change was to return to his family, which he had settled at The Hague, and there he continued some years. But, as he found his family increase, he resolved to retire to a more economical residence, and accordingly removed in 1707 to Wesel, where he commenced his great work L·Histoire d'Angleterre. Though he was of a strong con stitution, the seventeen years’ application entirely ruined his health. He died in 1725....