Prosper Marchand

He became a famous annotator and publisher of philosophical, religious and historical works, skilled in systematic table of contents and bibliographic indexes.

Marchand's versatility and erudition, his great knowledge of foreign languages, and his quick-witted helpfulness resulted in a wide clientele and ensured an excellent relationship with his colleagues.

[3]Eager of literary anecdotes, he would forward them to Jacques Bernard, who then wrote in Holland the Nouvelles de la république des lettres, and he formed at the same time for his personal use, collections which were very useful to him.

He settled in Amsterdam and continued for two years the bookselling business; but, disgusted with the lack of good faith of most of his colleagues, he gave up entirely to indulge only in studying.

From 1713 to 1723, he was proofreader at Fritsch and Böhm in Rotterdam, then editor at the Journal littéraire, founded by Willem Jacob 's Gravesande and Justus van Effen.

The habit of a frugal life had fortified his naturally robust health, and he rarely left his office, but he was receiving all those who came to benefit his knowledge and communicated with them with pleasure.

Marchand took part in the ingenious satire of the Chef d'œuvre d'un inconnu[7] and was one of the main writers of the Journal littéraire (The Hague),[8] one of the best periodical books in Holland.