BARDET DE VILLENEUVE WAS BORN IN THE BOURDONNAIS REGION OF FRANCE, CIRCA 1680, SERVED INITIALLY IN SPAIN, BUT ON HIS RETURN TO FRANCE JOINED THE ARTILLERY. HE JOINED THE SERVICE OF CHARLES, KING OF THE TWO SICILIES IN 1734. AS A MILITARY WRITER HE PUBLISHED COURS DE LA SCIENCE MILITAIRE IN 1740-42. THIS ELABORATE BUT UNSIGNED MANUSCRIPT WAS UNDOUBTABLY DRAWN BY A FELLOW ENGINEER IN THE SPANISH SERVICE FOR BARDET DE VILLENEUVE'S USE