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Introduction
or most insignificant discoveries. The Abbé Cotton des Houssayes was born near Rouen, November 17, 1727, and died at Paris, August 20, 1783. The greater part of his life was passed at Rouen, in the employment of teaching; and he was uniformly distinguished as one of the most active and enlightened members of the Academy of the Palinods. He came to reside at Paris and the Sorbonne about the year 1776.
The Abbé Cotton des Houssayes conceived the project of a grand bibliographical work, which was to appear under the title, Histoire Littéraire Universelle, or Bibliothèque Raisonnée,
