Garat (Dominique Joseph), Count, French revolutionist, orator and writer, b. near Bayonne, 8 September, 1749. He became a friend of d’Alembert, Diderot and Condercet, and in 1789 was elected to the Assembly, where he spoke in favor of the abolition of religion. As minister of justice he had to notify to Louis XVI his condemnation. He afterwards taught at the Normal School, and became a senator, count, and president of the Institute. Died at Urdains 9 December, 1833.
Garborg (Arne), b. Western Coast of Norway, 25 Jan. 1851. Brought up as a teacher at the public schools, he entered the University of Christiania in 1875. Founded a weekly paper Fedraheimen, written in the dialect of the peasantry. Held an appointment for some years in the Government Audit Office. In ’81 he published a powerfully written tale, A Freethinker, which created a deal of attention. Since he has published Peasant Students, Tales and Legends, Youth, Men, etc. He is one of the wittiest and cleverest controversialists on the Norwegian press.
Garcia-Vao (Antonio Rodriguez), Spanish poet and miscellaneous writer, b. Manzanares, 1862. Educated at the institute of Cardinal Cisneros, where he made brilliant studies. He afterwards studied at the Madrid University and became a lawyer. After editing several papers, he attached himself to the staff of Las Dominicales del Libre Pensiamento. Among his numerous works are a volume of poems, Echoes of a Free Mind, Love and the Monks, a satire, a study of Greco-Roman philosophy, etc. This promising student was stabbed in the back at Madrid, 18 December, 1886.
Garde (Jehan de la), bookseller, burnt together with four little blasphemous books at Paris in 1537.
Garibaldi (Guiseppe), Italian patriot and general, b. Nice, 4 July, 1807. His father, a small shipmaster, hoped he would become a priest. Young Garibaldi objected, preferring a sailor’s life. A trip to Rome made him long to free his country. He joined Mazzini’s movement, “Young Italy,” and being implicated in the Genoese revolt of ’33, he fled at risk of his life to Marseilles, where he learnt he was sentenced to death. He went to South America and fought on behalf of the republic of Uruguay. Here he met Anita Rivera, his beautiful and brave wife, who accompanied him in numerous adventures. Returning to Italy he fought against the Austrians in ’48, and next year was the soul of resistance to the French troops, who came to restore Papal authority. Garibaldi had to retire; his wife died, and he escaped with difficulty to Genoa, whence he went to New York, working for an Italian soap and candlemaker at Staten Island. In ’54 he returned and bought a farm on the isle of Caprera. In ’59 he again fought the Austrians, and in May, ’60, landed at Marsala, Sicily, took Palermo, and drove Francis II. from Naples. Though a Republican he saluted Victor Emanuel as King of Italy. Vexed by the cessation of Nice to France, he marched to Rome, but was wounded by Victor Emanuel’s troops, and taken prisoner to Varignaro. Here he wrote his Rule of the Monk, a work exhibiting his love of liberty and hatred of the priesthood. In ’64 he visited England, and was enthusiastically received. In ’67 he again took part in an attempt to free Rome from the Papal government. In ’71 he placed his sword at the service of the French Republic, and the only standard taken from the Germans was captured by his men. Elected Member of the Italian Parliament in his later years he did much to improve the city of Rome. In one of his laconic letters of ’80, he says “Dear Friend,—Man has created God, not God man,—Yours ever, Garibaldi.” He died 2 June, ’82, and directed in his will that he should be cremated without any religious ceremony.
Garrison (H. D.), Dr. of Chicago. Author of an able pamphlet on The Absence of Design in Nature, 1876.
Garth (Sir Samuel), English poet, wit, and physician, b. Yorkshire, 1672, and educated at Cambridge. He helped to establish dispensaries, and lashed the opposition in his poem The Dispensary. He was made physician to King George I. Died 18 June 1719.
Gaston (H.), French author of a brochure with the title Dieu, voila, l’ennemi, God the enemy, 1882.
Gattina (F. P. della). See [Petruccelli].
Gautama (called also Gotama, Buddha, and Sakyamuni), great Hindu reformer and founder of Buddhism, b. Kapilavastu, 624 B.C. Many legends are told of his birth and life. He is said to have been a prince, who, pained with human misery, left his home to dedicate himself to emancipation. His system was rather a moral discipline than a religion. Though he did not deny the Hindu gods he asserted that all beings were subject to “Karma,” the result of previous actions. He said, “If a man for a hundred years worship Agni in the forest, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true knowledge, better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.” According to Ceylonese writers Gautama Buddha died at Kusinagara, B.C. 543.