Houston (George). Was the translator of d’Holbach’s Ecce Homo, first published in Edinburgh in 1799, and sometimes ascribed to Joseph Webb. A second edition was issued in 1813. Houston was prosecuted and was imprisoned two years in Newgate, with a fine of £200. He afterwards went to New York, where he edited the Minerva (1822). In Jan. 1827, he started The Correspondence, which, we believe, was the first weekly Freethought journal published in America. It lasted till July 1828. He also republished Ecce Homo. Houston helped to establish in America a “Free Press Association” and a Society of Free Inquirers.
Hovelacque (Abel), French scientist, b. Paris 14 Nov. 1843. He studied law and made part of the groupe of la Pensée Nouvelle, with Asseline, Letourneau, Lefevre, etc. He also studied anthropology under Broca and published many articles in the Revue d’Anthropologie. He founded with Letourneau, Thulié, Asseline, etc. The “Bibliothèque des sciences contemporains” and published therein La Linguistique. He also founded with the same the library of anthropological science and published in collaboration with G. Hervé a prècis of Anthropology and a study of the Negroes of Africa. He has also contributed to the Dictionary of Anthropology. For the “Bibliothèque Materialiste” he wrote a work on Primitive man. He has also published choice extracts from the works of Voltaire, Diderot and Rousseau, a grammar of the Zend language, and a work on the Avesta Zoroaster and Mazdaism. In ’78 he was made a member of the municipal council of Paris, and in ’81 was elected deputy to the chamber where he sits with the autonomist socialist group.
Howdon (John), author of A Rational Investigation of the Principles of Natural Philosophy, Physical and Moral, printed at Haddington, 1840, in which he attacks belief in the Bible.
Huber (Marie), Swiss Deist, b. of Protestant parents, Geneva, 1694. In a work on the System of Theologians, 1731, she opposed the dogma of eternal punishment. In ’38 published Letters on the Religion essential to Man. This was translated into English in the same year. Other works show English reading. She translated selections from the Spectator. Died at Lyons, 13 June, 1753.
Hudail (Abul). See Muhammad ibn Hudail (Al Allaf.)
Huet (Coenraad Busken), Dutch writer, b. the Hague, 28 Dec. 1826. He became minister of the Walloon Church at Haarlem, but through his Freethought left the church in ’63, and became editor of various newspapers, afterwards living in Paris. He wrote many works of literary value, and published Letters on the Bible, ’57, etc. Died 1887.
Hugo (Victor Marie), French poet and novelist, b. Besançon, 26 Feb. 1802. Was first noted for his Odes, published in ’21. His dramas “Hernani,” ’30, and “Marion Delorme,” ’31, were highly successful. He was admitted into the French Academy in ’41, and made a peer in ’45. He gave his cordial adhesion to the Republic of ’48, and was elected to the Assembly by the voters of Paris. He attacked Louis Napoleon, and after the coup d’état was proscribed. He first went to Brussels, where he published Napoleon the Little, a biting satire. He afterwards settled at Guernsey, where he remained until the fall of the Empire, producing The Legend of the Ages, ’59, Les Miserables, ’62, Toilers of the Sea, ’69, and other works. After his return to Paris he produced a new series of the Legend of the Ages, The Pope, Religions and Religion, Torquemada, and other poems. He died 22 May, 1885, and it being decided he should have a national funeral, the Pantheon was secularised for that purpose, the cross being removed. Since his death a poem entitled The End of Satan has been published.
Hugues (Clovis), French Socialist, poet, and deputy, b. Menerbes, 3 Nov. 1850. In youth he desired to become a priest, but under the influence of Hugo left the black business. In ’71 he became head of the Communist movement at Marseilles. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. In ’81 he was elected deputy, and sits on the extreme left.
Humboldt (Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von), illustrious German naturalist and traveller, b. Berlin, 14 Sept. 1769. He studied under Heyne and Blumenbach, travelled in Holland, France and England with George Forster, the naturalist, and became director-general of mines. In 1799 he set out to explore South America and Mexico, and in 1804 returned with a rich collection of animals, plants and minerals. Humboldt became a resident of Paris, where he enjoyed the friendship of Lalande, Delambre, Arago, and all the living distinguished French scientists. After numerous important contributions to scientific knowledge, at the age of seventy-four he composed his celebrated Cosmos, the first volume of which appeared in ’45 and the fourth in ’58. To [Varnhagen von Ense] he wrote in 1841: “Bruno Bauer has found me pre-adamatically converted. Many years ago I wrote, ‘Toutes les réligions positives offrent trois parties distinctes; un traité de mœurs partout le même et très pur, un rève géologique, et un mythe ou petit roman historique; le dernier élément obtient le plus d’importance.’” Later on he says that Strauss disposes of “the Christian myths.” Humboldt was an unwearied student of science, paying no attention to religion, and opposed his brother in regard to his essay On the Province of the Historian, because he considered it to acknowledge the belief in the divine government of the world, which seemed to him as complete a delusion as the hypothesis of a principle of life. He died in Berlin, 6 May, 1859, in his ninetieth year.
Humboldt (Karl Wilhelm von), Prussian statesman and philosopher, b. Potsdam, 22 June, 1767. He was educated by Campe. Went to Paris in 1789, and hailed the revolution with enthusiasm. In ’92 he published Ideas on the Organization of the State. He became a friend of Schiller and Goethe, and in 1809 was Minister of Public Instruction. He took part in founding the University of Berlin. He represented Prussia at the Congress of Vienna, ’14. He advocated a liberal constitution, but finding the King averse, retired at the end of ’19, and devoted himself to the study of comparative philology. He said there were three things he could not comprehend—orthodox piety, romantic love, and music. He died 8 April, 1835. His works were collected and edited by his brother.