interpreter to the king. He died in 1713, leaving translations of the "History of Timur," &c., from the Persian, and many valuable works in MS. on oriental languages and history. He is said to have known also the Mongol, Armenian, and Ethiopian tongues.—W. J. P.
PETIT, Alexis Thérese, a French physicist, was born at Vesoul on the 2nd of October, 1791, and died in Paris on the 21st of June, 1820. He was educated at the Central school of Besançon, and at the Polytechnic school, where he distinguished himself highly. He was appointed an assistant professor in that institution in 1809, and a professor in 1815. Notwithstanding his early death by consumption in his twenty-ninth year, he left behind some scientific writings of high importance; and in particular his researches, along with Dulong, on the measurement of temperature and the laws of the communication of heat, are looked upon as a model of the art of experimental investigation in physical science.—(Annales de Chimie et de Physique, 1819; also, Journal de l'Ecole Polytechnique for the same year.)—W. J. M. R.
PETIT, Jean Louis, a celebrated French surgeon, was born at Paris on the 13th of March, 1674. Anatomy formed part of his earliest education. The celebrated anatomist. M. De Littre, was resident in his father's house, and the child's observant and imitative powers were early called into play by watching De Littre at his anatomical studies. Dissection became his amusement. One day he was found hid in a garret, engaged in dissecting a rabbit which he had caught. The professor encouraged and instructed the boy: the latter at the age of seven began to attend De Littre's anatomical lectures, and so remarkable was his progress that when twelve years old he was intrusted with the preparation of the subject for his teacher's demonstrations. At sixteen Petit was apprenticed to a surgeon, and attended the practice of Mareschal, the chief surgeon at La Charitè. As a proof of his zeal as a student, it is told that Mareschal, going one morning very early to visit his patients at the hospital, found Petit asleep by the door, where he had taken up his quarters in order to be soon enough to secure a good place in the operating theatre. In 1692 Petit entered the army as a surgeon. He served until 1700, when he returned to Paris and was admitted master of surgery. He rapidly advanced in fame and practice, and in the course of a few years became one of the first surgeons in Europe. He delivered courses of lectures on anatomy and surgery at a school which he had himself established, and many of the most celebrated of European practitioners were amongst his pupils. His reputation was not confined to France. In 1726 he was summoned to attend the king of Poland; and in 1734 his services were required by Don Ferdinand, afterwards king of Spain. He refused most brilliant offers of advancement abroad, preferring to remain in Paris, where his skill secured him the highest professional honours. In 1715 he was chosen member of the Academy of Sciences, and in 1731, on the establishment of the Academy of Surgery, he was appointed director. He also received the honour of the fellowship of the Royal Society of London, besides many other scientific distinctions. The influence of Petit's practice and teaching on the advancement of surgery was very considerable. Besides many memoirs contributed to the Academy of Sciences and to the Academy of Surgery, he published in 1705 his "Traité des maladies des Os," a book which has gone through many editions, and is still read and quoted. At the time of his death he had been engaged twelve years on a general treatise on surgical diseases. After Petit's death the work was completed and published by his pupil, Dr. Lesne. Petit died at Paris on the 20th of April, 1750, aged seventy-six. His qualities of heart and understanding were well balanced. His reputation as a surgeon was only equalled by his character as a good and benevolent man.—F. C. W.
PETIT, Pierre, a French mathematician and military engineer, was born at Montluçon on the 31st of December, 1598, and died at Lagni-sur-Marne on the 20th of August, 1677. His father obtained for him an appointment under government, which, however, he disposed of in 1633, in order to devote himself to the study of mathematics and mechanics. On his abilities becoming known to Richelieu, he was appointed a provincial commissary of artillery and inspector of fortifications; and in 1649 he was presented to the office of intendant-general of fortifications, and the rank of nobility.—W. J. M. R.
PETIT, Samuel, born on Christmas-day, 1594, at Nismes, was remarkable for the precocity of his genius. He studied at Geneva, and learned several ancient languages. He professed Greek and Hebrew at Nismes till 1627. Such was his reputation that Cardinals Richelieu and Bagni sought to win him to the popish party. Excessive study ruined his constitution, and he died in 1643. He has been accused of favouring the Romanists, and seems to have been moderate almost to indifference. Men of all parties have praised him for his learning and talent. Several of his works were published, and he left in MS. valuable notes upon Josephus.—B. H. C.
PETITOT, Jean, a very distinguished painter in enamel, was born at Geneva in 1607. Being intended for a jeweller, he was first placed with an enameller to learn how to prepare enamels for jewelry. In this art he soon became so skilful that he was led, it is said by the suggestion of Brodier, to attempt the production of small pictures in enamel. In this he was at first unsuccessful, owing to the difficulty of obtaining fluxes, colours, &c., which would stand the requisite number of firings. He and Brodier, who became his brother-in-law, and worked with him fifty years, made a journey to Italy to ascertain the methods adopted by the enamellers of that country; but disappointed in their inquiries came to England, where in Sir Theodore de Mayerne, physician to Charles I., they found a chemist who had been experimenting on colours and vitrifying substances, and who put them in possession of the precise information they were seeking. De Mayerne introduced Petitot to the king, who received him into his service, appointed him apartments in Whitehall, and directed him to paint in enamel portraits of himself, the queen, and other members of the royal family, and of the court. Petitot stayed in England till the fall of Charles, and whilst here executed a large number of works, and some of them his best. Several of these were from the paintings of Vandyck, who is said to have given Petitot valuable advice as to the management of portraiture. On his return to France Petitot was introduced by Charles II. to Louis XIV., who made him his enamel painter in ordinary, with apartments in the Louvre and a handsome salary. Petitot painted a large number of portraits for the king, not only of the French court, but of royal and distinguished visitors, and was a great favourite; but he was a protestant, and on the revocation of the edict of Nantes he felt himself uncomfortable if not unsafe in France, and petitioned to be allowed to leave. This was refused. He was for a while placed in a sort of captivity, and the celebrated Bossuet was sent by the king to endeavour to induce him to recant; but without effect. When set at liberty he at once made his escape with his wife to Geneva, whence, after a time, he removed for greater quiet to Vevay. There he continued to practise his art almost till his death, which occurred in 1691. Petitot was the first to paint portraits and pictures in enamel in their full and true colours, and he brought the art at once to comparative perfection. His works, with some peculiarities, are clear, brilliant, and forcible in colour, and most carefully and admirably finished. The Louvre contains the most extensive collection of portraits by him; but some of his finest works are in England—one of the largest and most celebrated is a whole-length portrait of Rachel de Rouvigny, countess of Southampton, after Vandyck, dated 1642. It is in the collection of the duke of Devonshire, and is 9¾ inches high by 5¾ inches wide, and is by far the largest and finest work till then executed in enamel; and, like most of his English pictures, is executed on a thick gold plate. A series of engravings, with illustrative letterpress, of Petitot's enamels in the Louvre, is now in course of publication—"Emaux de Petitot du Musée Imperial du Louvre," folio, Paris, 1861, &c.—J. T—e.
PETIVER, James, an English botanist, was a contemporary of Plukenet, and died in Aldersgate Street, London, on the 20th April, 1718. He was apprenticed to Mr. Feltham, apothecary to St. Bartholomew's hospital, and established himself as a druggist in Aldersgate Street, where he continued till his death. He was apothecary to the Charter-house, and obtained considerable practice. He was fond of natural history, and persuaded captains and surgeons of ships to bring home specimens of all kinds. He was so successful in his efforts, that Sir Hans Sloane (who afterwards purchased it) offered Petiver £4000 for his museum some time before his death. Petiver became well known as a naturalist. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and he was a correspondent of Ray. He visited the midland counties of England and made collections. In his first publication, "Museum Petiverianum," he records the results of his excursion.
