Alexandre was born in
Rouen, France. In 1654, he joined the
Dominicans in his hometown. Shortly after his ordination, he was appointed professor (first regent) of
philosophy at the
Couvent des Jacobins in Paris, where he was later buried. The success of Alexandre's subsequent lectures at the
Sorbonne led to his selection by
Jean-Baptiste Colbert as tutor to his son,
Jacques Nicolas Colbert, afterwards
archbishop of Rouen. Alexandre obtained the degree of
doctor in divinity from the
Sorbonne in 1675, and for twelve years taught philosophy, theology and
ecclesiastical law to the members of the Saint-Jacques community. In 1700, he published a work entitled Conformité des cérémonies chinoises avec l'idolâtrie grecque et romaine, as well as a series of seven Lettres sur les cérémonies de la Chine, in which he defended the Dominicans in the so-called "Querelle des rites", a dispute between Dominican missionaries and Jesuits over Confucianism. He played a prominent part in ecclesiastical affairs and preached several times before
Louis XIV, who granted him an annual pension of 800
livres. He became provincial of his order in 1706, but was banished to
Châtellerault in 1709 for having subscribed to the
Jansenist Cas de conscience (1703), and was deprived of his pension in 1713 on account of his opposition to the
bull Unigenitus. He died in Paris on 21 August 1724, aged 85, having lost his sight some time before owing to his strenuous literary activity. He was buried in the now-demolished church of the
Couvent des Jacobins in Paris. His numerous works are still much valued by ecclesiastical students. ==Bibliography==