Guillaume-François Berthier (; 7 April 1704 – 15 December 1782) was a

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

professor and writer, tutor of the French Dauphin's sons, and

librarian A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...

of the court library. Berthier was born at Issoudun; he taught philosophy at Rennes and

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...

, and

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. Berthier was one of the authors of the multi-volume '' Histoire de l'église Gallicane'', which was started by Jacques Longueval. In 1745 he was appointed editor of the influential Jesuit periodical the '' Journal de Trévoux'', holding the post until 1762 and doing much to expand the circulation. Because of his powerful opposition to the infidel " encyclopédistes" he was bitterly attacked, especially by Voltaire. The Jesuits were banished from France in 1762, and Berthier promptly resigned. The Dauphin appointed Berthier tutor of his sons and librarian of the court library, but two years later his position at court became so disagreeable that he left France and spent the following ten years in Germany. On his return in 1774, he retired to Bourges, where he died on 15 December 1782. After his death several of his works were published by Father de Querbuef: (1) A translation of the Psalms with notes (8 vols.); this was often reprinted. (2) Five volumes on Isaiah. (3) Five volumes of "Réflexions Spiritualles."

References

1704 births 1782 deaths 18th-century French Jesuits 18th-century French historians Historians of the Catholic Church French librarians French male writers {{RC-clergy-stub