Lives of the most eminent literary and scientific men of France, Vol. 2 (of 2)

"Madame Denis received us with that cordiality which is the charm of her character. She presented M. de l'Ecluse to us, and at dinner Voltaire encouraged him by the most flatter...

We have an interesting picture of his position at the commencement of the year 1791 from Dumont--who though his friend, and at times his secretary, or rather, as he affirms, the...

Bonaparte felt that his present power needed the prop of opinion. Perhaps he hoped to gain the daughter by his civility and apparent respect for the father. But neither were to...

The whole circumstances were full of contradiction and absurdity. Calas was sixty-eight years of age,--a kind father and a good man. If he had committed the murder, the whole of...

He quitted Switzerland on the 29th of October. His first idea was to repair to Berlin. On arriving at Strasbourg he changed his mind: he gives no reason for this, except that he...

Voltaire's residence at Cirey was marked by the commencement of his correspondence with Frederic the Great, then prince royal of Prussia. It is well known that this sovereign pa...

Nor was his tragedy his only subject of anxiety. He was told that Louis XVI. had asked, on hearing of his arrival, if the interdiction to his residence in Paris had ever been ta...

On returning from Corsica, he was allowed to visit his uncle, the bailli, at Mirabeau, and soon acquired the favour of this unprejudiced man, who was astonished by his talents,...

This paper is published in vol. II. appendix, no. V. of the memoirs of Lafayette. It was found in the iron closet, discovered in the Tuileries on the 10th of August, 1792, conta...

Dumont, in his "Souvenirs de Mirabeau," asserts that he drew up this address. On several other occasions, he assumes the merit either of writing for Mirabeau or suggesting his s...

The grandeur, courage, and sincerity of madame Roland's character fill us with admiration; her sweetness, and tenderness, and virtue add charms to the impression. How easy it is...

Epic poetry, in its essence, is the greatest achievement of the human intellect. It takes a subject of universal interest; it exalts it by solemn and sacred sentiments, and ador...

In the year 1810 there came to Geneva a young Spaniard of the name of Rocca. He was an officer in the French army, and had been wounded dangerously in Spain. He inspired great i...

At first, his head was perpetually full of projects for advancement. He made many little journeys to Lyons, Geneva, and Niort, for the sake of prosecuting schemes, which he beli...

Dumont writes of her--"Madame Roland had every personal attraction, joined to excellence of character and understanding. I saw many assemblies of ministers, and the principal gi...

The accusation against Condorcet, found in madame Roland's memoirs, where she speaks of his cowardice, cannot be passed over, though we do not give it absolute credence. Her asp...

Roland, madame (Manon Phlipon), her opinion of the marquis of Condorcet, II. 187. 193. Her literary reputation, 260. Her Memoirs, 260. Condition of her parents, 261. Receives a...

The weakness of the unfortunate king, who yielded to the new state of things only on compulsion, and turned his eyes towards the emigrants and foreign potentates as deliverers,...

Leaving their country pension, the boys continued to lead a happy life at the house of Bernard, who was an engineer. He brought up his son to the same profession, and Rousseau s...

Mazarin, cardinal, succeeds Richelieu, I. 66. Is minister in the regency of Anne of Austria, 66. Imprisons the princes Condé, Conti, and Longueville, 72. Is obliged to fly, 73....

She visited Switzerland and England. In this country her husband's connection with the scientific world led her to the society she best liked. They then took up their abode at t...

Rousseau, of course, at once quitted the Hermitage. He had a horror of entering Paris: he was greatly embarrassed as to where to go, when M. Mathas, procureur-fiscal to the prin...

Condorcet, Marie Jean Antoine de Caritat, marquis de, born in Picardy, II. 175. His scientific works, 172. _et seq._ His examination of the "Pensées de Pascal," 177. Intimacy wi...

Frederic's angry feelings were roused by several just causes of annoyance. He learned that "Akakia" was published in Holland, and he remembered the scene of its pretended destru...

It is impossible to commence the biography of this extraordinary man without feelings of apprehension as to our power of well executing the task. To write the life of Voltaire i...

Dante Alighieri, his parentage, I. 1. Born in the spring of 1265, 2. Fable concerning his birth, 3. Extracts from his "Paradiso," and his "Inferno," 4. His early education, 5. E...

In the second portion of his life, till the election of deputies for the states-general, he was no longer pursued by private enemies; and his passions, though they were not sobe...

As a protestant he could not be buried in sacred ground, he was therefore interred in the island of Poplars, in the gardens of Ermenonville. The funeral took place in the evenin...

With these feelings, it is not strange that he listened to his royal friend's request, that he should resign his places in the court of France, and accept that of chamberlain in...

We have, from various sources, descriptions of the life he led at Cirey; not a little instructive from the light they throw on human nature, and on Voltaire's own character. Vol...

After some delay, occasioned by the journeys of the king of Prussia, during which time Voltaire did good service for his court at the Hague, he arrived at Berlin, and was warmly...

She had already prepared to leave France, and obtained passports. She delayed a few days, anxious to be re-assured with regard to her friends, before she placed herself in safet...

Another circumstance concurred to raise him to the pinacle of fashion. This was the success of the "Divin du Village." He had before composed an opera; but the envy of Rameau ha...

The marquis de Mirabeau at first rejoiced in the catastrophe which exiled his son for ever from the soil of France, and was willing to forget his existence. Not so the family of...

Marini, Giambattista, his birth and parentage, II. 174. Encouraged by Tasso to pursue his poetic career, 174. Publishes a volume of lyrical poetry, which establishes his fame, 1...

Camoens and Cervantes, their Destiny similar in many Respects 295 1817. The "Lusiad," Translation of it 295 Origin of the Family of Camoens 295 Derivation of his Name 296 1370....

We have a "portrait" of madame de Staël at this epoch, such as it was the fashion for friends to write of friends in Paris at that time. It is a favourable description, yet mark...

1744. Birth of Marie Jean Antoine de Caritat, Marquis de Condorcet 175 1765. Ætat. 21. His Essay on the Integral Calculus 175 His scientific Works 175 Is appointed joint Secreta...

CONTENTS TABLE, ANALYTICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL, TO THE FIRST VOLUME OF LIVES OF EMINENT LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN OF FRANCE. TABLE, ANALYTICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL, TO THE SECOND V...

Infidelity of Voltaire 2 1694. Birth of François-Marie Arouet at Chatenay 4 His Father, M. Arouet, a Notary 4 1704. Ætat. 10. Is taught by the Jesuits in the College of Louis-le...

His Descent 1 1265. His Birth 2 His Mother's Dream 3 Brunetto Latini 4 Story of his early Love for Beatrice 6 1290. Her Death 7 "Vita Nuova" 7 Uncertain Traditions concerning th...

1564. (15th of February.) His Birth 1 His Ancestors 2 His early Years 3 1581. A Scholar of Arts at the University of Pisa 3 Studies Medicine under Andrew Cæsalpinus 3 His Work o...

Preliminary Remarks 120 1547. (9th of October.) His Birth 123 His Origin 123 His early Studies 123 1569. Death of Isabella of Valois, Wife of Philip II. 124 Lopez de Hoyos 124 C...

His obscure Origin 185 1698. (13th of January.) His Birth; his Name 185 His Adoption by Vincenzo Gravina 185 His first Tragedy, "Giustino" 186 His Letter to Algarotti 187 His Le...

1626. Birth of Marie de Rabutin-Chantal 214 Account of this noble Family 214 1627. Her Father, Baron de Chantal, slain at the Isle of Rhé 215 Account of the De Coulanges Family...

1778. His Birth 354 His Origin 354 The Ionian Islands 355 Foscolo studies at Padua under Cesarotti 355 1797. His Tragedy of "Thyestes" represented at Venice 357 Foscolo becomes...

1474. (September 8th.) Ludovico Ariosto, his Birth 196 His Lineage 196 His early Studies 197 Latin the universal Language of Writers 198 The Transmutation and Transfusion of the...

Vega, Lope de, compared with Cervantes, III. 189. His birth and parentage, 190. Early indications of talent, 191. Anecdote characteristic of his vivacious disposition, 192. His...