Amelot De La Houssaye, Abraham Nicolas, a French author, born in Orleans in 1034, died in Paris, Dec. 8, 1700. After his return from Venice, whither he went in 1669 as secretary of an embassy, he devoted himself to history, politics, and philosophy. His principal work was a "History of the Government of Venice," besides which he wrote several volumes of miscellaneous memoirs, and translated four books of Tacitus, Machiavelli's "Prince," in the notes to which he spoke of his author as a great satirist, and Paolo Sarpi's "History of the Council of Trent," with very free annotations. This translation of Fra Paolo was attacked by the ultramontanists, who presented three memorials for its suppression, while it was defended and eulogized by the Gallicans. The " History of Venice," by its exposure of the secret policy of that republic, raised a great outcry there; and it is said that, through the intervention of the Venetian senate, Amelot was thrown into the Bastille.