FRENCH HISTORY.
P. 377, c. 1.—“Voltaire,” vol-têrˈ. (1694-1778.) French author.
“Rousseau,” Jean Jacques, rooˌsōˈ. (1712-1778.) French philosopher and writer.
“Montesquieu,” mŏnˈtĕs-kūˌ. (1689-1755.) French jurist and philosopher.
“D’Alembert,” däˈlŏnˌbêrˌ. (1717-1783.) French mathematician.
P. 377, c. 2.—“Maria Theresa,” ma-rīˈa te-reeˈsä. (1717-1780.) Empress of Germany and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia.
“Turgot,” türˌgoˈ. (1727-1781.) At the time of his appointment to the control of finance, Turgot had won a fine reputation by his papers on political economy, tolerance in governing, and like subjects. He at once undertook to carry out his views, abolishing all taxes save those on land, doing away with compulsory labor for the state, the privileges of trading corporations and the like; this made him very unpopular among the favored classes, and Louis was forced to dismiss him.
“Necker,” nĕkˈer. (1732-1804.) Necker’s policy was to restore order and confidence. He restrained the prodigality of the court, cut down the expenses of the government, regulated taxes, and laid the foundation of the Bank of France. After his final withdrawal from France, Necker lived in Geneva, where he wrote several essays. It is said that on the accession of Bonaparte to power he attempted to obtain the position of minister of finance, but was rejected.
“Ushant,” ushˈant. The largest of the Ouessant Isles, off the coast of the department of Finisterre in France.
“D’Estaings,” dĕsˌtănˈ. (1729-1794.) He was brought up to military service, was twice taken prisoner by the English but released, and in 1763 was appointed lieutenant-general of the navy. D’Estaings was sent to the United States in 1778, where he planned attacks on New York and Newport, but was unsuccessful in both. After the campaign in the West Indies he coöperated with the Americans in an attack upon Savannah, but was wounded.
“Granada,” “St. Lucia,” “St. Vincent.” Three islands of the Windward group of the West Indies.
“Langara,” läˈgä-rä. (1730-1800.)
“De Guichen,” deh-gēˈshonˌ. (1712-1790.) A French naval officer, made lieutenant-general in 1779. The next year after the victory here given he was defeated by the English.
“De Grasse,” deh gräs. (1723-1788.) Count de Grasse served in the American war, and in 1781 aided Washington and Lafayette in the capture of Cornwallis.
“Hood.” (1724-1816.) He entered the navy at sixteen. In 1780 he was made second in command in the West Indies. The year after his defeat he defeated De Grasse and was made a baron. In 1793 he commanded the English in the Mediterranean against the French, and in 1796 was made a viscount.
“Tobago,” to-bāˈgo. An island of the Windward group of the West Indies.
P. 378, c. 1.—“Ville de Paris.” The city of Paris.
“Crillon,” kreˈyonˌ. (1718-1796.) A lieutenant-general in the Seven Years’ War, and afterward captain-general of Spain.
“Senegal,” senˈe-gawlˌ. A river of western Africa.
“Calonne,” kăˌlonˈ. (1734-1802.) Calonne had been a law student and a courtier, when appointed to succeed Necker. After his dismissal he went to London, where he wrote many able political and financial tracts.
“Brienne,” breˌënˈ. (1727-1794.) Brienne was an archbishop and a member of the academy when he succeeded Calonne.
P. 378, c. 2.—“En Masse.” In a body.
“Desmoulins,” dāˌmooˌlănˈ. (1762-1794.) A schoolmate of Robespierre, and a partisan of the Revolution. He was called the “Attorney-General of the lamp post,” for his share in street mobs.
“Launay,” lōˈna. He was massacred immediately after the capture of the place.
“Condé,” kŏnˈdāˌ (1736-1818); “Polignac,” poˈlēnˌyäkˌ; “Noailles,” noˈäl; “Seignioral,” seenˈyur-al. Lordly, kingly; belonging to a seignior.
P. 379, c. 1.—“Sièyes,” se-yāsˈ. (1748-1836.) At the beginning of the Revolution Sièyes wrote a pamphlet which placed him at the head of the publicists. He was a member of the Assembly, of the Convention, and in 1799 of the Directory. When the new régime began he was one of the three consuls, but soon after lost his influence, which he never regained.
“Robespierre,” roˈbes-peer. (1758-1794.) He was educated for the law, and practicing, when in 1789 he was sent to the States-General. His radical democratic views gained him a prominent place. He afterward was a member of the Assembly, and in 1792 was elected to the Convention. He became the leader of one party there, and was instrumental in bringing on the Reign of Terror, of which he was the acknowledged head. His cruelty at last turned the people against him, and he was guillotined in 1794.
“Mirabeau,” mĭrˈa-bō. (1749-1791.) He was descended from a family of high rank, but was passionate and uncontrolled. Until 1788 his life was spent in all sorts of employments and intrigues. At that time he made up his mind to enter French politics, and succeeded in getting himself elected to the States-General of 1789. In 1791 he was elected president of the National Assembly, but died soon after, a victim to excess.
“Œil-de-Bœuf,” eel-deh-bŭf.
P. 379, c. 2.—“Chalons,” shäˌlōnˈ; “Menehould,” māˌnāˈhō.
“Bouillé,” booˈyā. (1739-1800.)
“Varennes,” väˈrenˌ.
“Rochambeau,” roˈshŏnˌbō. (1725-1807.) A French marshal. In early life he fought in several minor campaigns. In 1780 he was sent to the United States with 6,000 men, and the next year fought at Yorktown.
“Dumouriez,” düˌmooˈre-ā. (1739-1823.) After the battle of Jemappes, the convention being jealous of Dumouriez’s loyalty to the Bourbons, summoned him to their bar. He refused to go, and was obliged to spend the rest of his life in exile.
“Verdun,” vĕrˈdun; “Longwy,” lōngˌveˈ.
“Custine,” küsˌtēnˈ. (1740-1793.)
“Jemappes,” zhem-map.
P. 380, c. 1.—“Fédérés,” fāˈdāˌrāˌ; “Abbaye,” ă-bāˈ; “Conciergerie,” konˌcerˈjaˌreˌ; “Carmes,” kärm; “Bicêtre,” beˈcātrˌ. The names of famous French prisons.
“Lamballe,” lŏnˌbälˈ. (1749-1792.)
“Sombreuil,” sŏnˌbrulˈ. The sister of an officer prominent in support of the Royalists.
“Cazotte,” käˈzotˌ. Jacques Cazotte, her father, was a French poet.
P. 380, c. 2.—“Égalité,” ā-găˈle-tā.
“Vergniaud,” verˌyne-ōˈ. (1759-1793.)
P. 381, c. 1.—“Marat,” mäˈrä. (1744-1793.) Before the Revolution Marat had practiced medicine. In 1789 he gained great popularity among the Revolutionists by his journal, The Friend of the People. After his election in 1792 to the Convention and the formation of the triumvirate with Danton and Robespierre, he wielded great power by his decisive opinions.
“Danton,” dänˌtonˈ. (1759-1794.) He was a lawyer by profession. At the beginning of the Revolution he became a popular leader and orator. When the supreme power fell into the hands of the triumvirate Danton was elected minister of justice, thus having chief control of the city. Afterward he was elected to the Convention, where he became a prominent leader, but excited the jealousy of Robespierre. The latter triumphed in the contest for the first rank, and Danton was guillotined. Lamartine says of him: “Nothing was wanting to make Danton a great man, except virtue.”
P. 381, c. 2.—“Corday,” korˌdaˈ. (1768-1793.)
P. 382, c. 1.—“Aboukir,” ä-boo-keerˈ.
“Tuileries,” tü-eel-rē. A royal palace of Paris.
“D’Enghien,” dŏnˌ-gănˈ. (1772-1804.) “Eylau,” īˈlou; “Friedland,” frēdˈland.