Ponnat (de), Baron, French writer, b. about 1810. Educated by Jesuits, he became a thorough Freethinker and democrat and a friend of A. S. Morin, with whom he collaborated on the Rationaliste of Geneva. He wrote many notable articles in La Libre Pensée, Le Critique, and Le Candide, for writing in which last he was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment. He published, under the anagram of De Pontan, The Cross or Death, a discourse to the bishops who assisted at the Ecumenical Council at Rome (Brussels, ’62). His principal work is a history of the variations and contradictions of the Roman Church (Paris, ’82). Died in 1884.
Porphyry (Πορφύριος), Greek philosoper of the New Platonic school, b. Sinia, 233 A.D. His original name was Malchus or Melech—a “King.” He was a pupil of Longinus and perhaps of Origen. Some have supposed that he was of Jewish faith, and first embraced and then afterwards rejected Christianity. It is certain he was a man of learning and intelligence; the friend as well as the disciple of Plotinus. He wrote (in Greek) a famous work in fifteen books against the Christians, some fragments of which alone remain in the writings of his opponents. It is certain he showed acquaintance with the Jewish and Christian writings, exposed their contradictions, pointed out the dispute between Peter and Paul, and referred Daniel to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. He wrote many other works, among which are lives of Plotinus and Pythagorus. Died at Rome about 305.
Porzio (Simone), a disciple of Pomponazzi, to whom, when lecturing at Pisa, the students cried “What of the soul?” He frankly professed his belief that the human soul differed in no essential point from the soul of a lion or plant, and that those who thought otherwise were prompted by pity for our mean estate. These assertions are in his treatise De Mente Humanâ.
“Posos (Juan de),” an undiscovered author using this pen-name, expressed atheistic opinions in a book of imaginary travels, published in Dutch at Amsterdam in 1708, and translated into German at Leipsic, 1721.
Post (Amy), American reformer, b. 1803. From ’28 she was a leading advocate of slavery abolition, temperance, woman’s suffrage and religious reform. Died Rochester, New York, 29 Jan. 1889.
Potter (Agathon Louis de). See [De Potter (A. L.)]
Potter (Louis Antoine Joseph de). See [De Potter (L. A. J.)]
Potvin (Charles), Belgian writer b. Mons. 2 Dec. 1818, is member of the Royal Academy of Letters, and professor of the history of literature at Brussels. He wrote anonymously Poesie et Amour ’58, and Rome and the Family. Under the name of “Dom Jacobus” he has written an able work in two volumes on The Church and Morality, and also Tablets of a Freethinker. He was president of “La Libre Pensée” of Brussels from ’78 to ’83, is director of the Revue de Belgique and has collaborated on the National and other papers.
Pouchet (Felix Archimède), French naturalist, b. Rouen 26 Aug. 1800. Studied medicine under Dr. Flaubert, father of the author of Mme. Bovary, and became doctor in ’27. He was made professor of natural history at the Museum of Rouen, and by his experiments enriched science with many discoveries. He defended spontaneous generation and wrote many monographs and books of which the principal is entitled The Universe, ’65. Died at Rouen, 6 Dec. 1872.
Pouchet (Henri Charles George), French naturalist, son of the proceeding, b. Rouen, 1833, made M.D. in ’64, and in ’79 professor of comparative anatomy in the museum of Natural History at Paris. In ’80 he was decorated with the Legion of Honor. He has written on The Plurality of the Human Race, ’58, and collaborated on the Siècle, and the Revue des Deux Mondes and to la Philosophie Positive.