He belonged to a noble family of Scotch descent, tracing its origin to Walter Stutt, who in 1420 accompanied the earls of Buchan and Douglas to the court of France, and whose family afterwards rose to be counts of Tracy.
Destutt de Tracy was the last eminent representative of the sensualistic school which Condillac founded in France upon a one-sided interpretation of Locke.
It contains the villages of East Wallingford, Tracy and Yalesville, and the borough of Wallingford.
Fauriel was introduced by Madame de Stael to the literary circle of Auteuil, which gathered round Destutt de Tracy.
Later Tracy introduced to him Aug.