m Br. 1894);
L. Duchesne, _Origines du culte chretien_ (Paris, 1898); Mgr. P. Batiffol,
_Etudes historiques_ (Paris, 1904); J. C. W. Augusti, _Denkwuerdigkeiten_
(Leipzig, 1829-1831); _Monumenta Ecclesiae Liturgica_ by Dom Cabrol and Dom
Leclercq (Paris, 1902) (a summary of all liturgical passages given in the
early Fathers); Corblet, _Histoire du sacrement de bapteme_ (2 vols. Paris,
1881-1882).

(F. C. C.)

[1] James Darmesteter, in "Introd. to the Vendidad," in the _Sacred Books
of the East_.

[2] Rogers' essay on Baptism and Christian Archaeology in _Studia Biblica_,
vol. v.

[3] _Etudes historiques, Essai sur Disc. arc._ (Paris 1902).

BAPTISTE, NICOLAS ANSELME (1761-1835), French actor, was born in Bordeaux
on the 18th of June 1761, the elder son of Joseph Francois Anselme, a
popular actor. His mother played leading parts in tragedy, and both his
parents enjoyed the protection of Voltaire and the friendship of Lekain. It
was probably under the auspices of the latter that Nicolas Anselme made his
first appearance as de Belloy in _Gaston et Bayard_; and shortly
afterwards, under the name of Baptiste, he made a contract to play young
lover parts at Arras, where he also appeared in opera and even in
pantomime. From Rouen, where he had three successful years, his reputation
spread to Paris and he was summoned to the new theatre which the comedian
Langlois-Courcelles had just founded, and where he succeeded, not only in
making an engagement for himself, but in bringing all his family, father,
mother, wife and brother. They were thus distinguished in the playbills:
Baptiste, _aine_, Baptiste _pere_, Baptiste _cadet_, Madame Baptiste
_mere_, Madame Baptiste _bru_. This resulted in the pun of calling a play
in which they all appeared _une piece de baptistes_. Nicolas soon obtained
the public favour, specially in La Martelliere's mediocre _Robert, chef de
[v.03 p.0370] brigands_, and as Count Almaviva, in Beaumarchais' _La Mere
coupable_. His success in this was so great that the directors of the
Theatre de la Republique--who had already secured Talma, Dugazon and Madame
Vestris--hastened to obtain his services, and, in order to get him at once
(1793), paid the 20,000 francs forfeit which he was obliged to surrender on
breaking his contract. Later he, as well as his younger brother, became
_societaire_. Nicolas took all the leading parts in comedy and tragedy. As
he grew older his special _forte_ lay in noble fathers.