Gagnier was born in Paris about 1670, and educated at the
College of Navarre. His tutor, Le Bossu, showed him a copy of
Brian Walton's 'Polyglott Bible'. This led him to master
Hebrew and
Arabic. After taking orders he was made a
canon regular of the Abbey of St. Genevieve. Finding the life irksome, he retired to England, and ultimately became an
Anglican clergyman. In 1703 he was created M.A. at Cambridge by royal mandate.
William Lloyd, appointed him as his domestic chaplain and introduced him at
Oxford. Gagnier subsequently settled at Oxford, and taught Hebrew. In 1717 he was appointed by the vice-chancellor to read the Arabic lecture at Oxford in the absence of the professor,
John Wallis. The
Lord Almoner's Professorship of Arabic at Oxford was conferred on Gagnier in 1724. ==Death==