an English Roman Catholic divine, noted as a scientist, was born in London in 1713, and educated at the College of Douai, where he entered into orders. He removed to the Continent after having attained celebrity as a scientist, and finally became rector of the Academy of Sciences and Belles- lettres at Brussels, where he died in 1781. Mr. Needham wrote observations inserted in Buffon's Natural History: Inquiries concerning Nature and Religion: — Idee sommaire, ou vue generale du systeme physique et metaphysique sur la generation, etc. See his life, by abbe Mann, in the memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Brussels; Lond. Monthly Review, volume 70, Hutton, Mathematical and Philos. Dict. s.v.