esteem of the emperor, who had a high opinion of his ability and frequently availed himself of his scientific and diplomatic services. He was withal a zealous missionary, and in 1692 obtained an edict granting the free exercise of the Christian religion. After the emperor's recovery from a fever, during which he was attended by Gerbillion and Bouvet, he showed his gratitude by bestowing on them a site for a chapel and residence. Gerbillion was a skilled linguist. He was the author of several works on mathematics, and wrote an account of his travels in Tatary. These relations are valuable for their accurate account of the typography of the country, the customs of the people, and also for the details of life of the missionaries at the court. Additionally, his writings, which documented foreign fauna, were important for studies in natural history, and even veterinary medicine. Works "Eléments de Géométrie" (1689), "Géométrie pratique et théoretique" (1690), "Eléments de philosophie". "Relations du huit Voyages dans la Grande Tartarie" (Un autre nom — "Relations de huit voyages en Tartarie faits par ordre de l'empereur de Chine", 1688–98), "Observations historiques sur la grande Tartarie". A work entitled "Elementa Linguæ Tartaricæ" is also attributed to him. References 1654 births 1707 deaths People from Verdun French Roman Catholic missionaries 17th-century French Jesuits Jesuit missionaries in China 18th-century French Jesuits Roman Catholic missionaries in China French expatriates in China