[Bourbonnais], ancient province in the centre of France, being the duchy of Bourbon; united to the crown in 1531; cap. Moulins.
[Bourdaloue, Louis], a French Jesuit, born at Bourges, called the "king of preachers, and preacher of kings"; one of the most eloquent pulpit orators of France; did not suffer by comparison with Bossuet, his contemporary, though junior; one of the most earnest and powerful of his sermons, the one entitled "The Passion," is deemed the greatest. His sermons are ethical in their matter from a Christian standpoint, carefully reasoned, and free from ornament, but fearless and uncompromising (1632-1704).
[Bourdon, Sebastian], a French painter, born at Montpellier; his chef-d'oeuvre "The Crucifixion of St. Peter," executed for the church of Notre Dame (1616-1671).
[Bourdon de l'Oise], a French revolutionist, member of the Convention; banished to Guiana, where he died in 1791.
[Bourgelat], a famous French veterinary surgeon, born at Lyons, and founder of veterinary colleges at Lyons in 1762; was an authority on horse management, and often consulted on the matter (1712-1779).
[Bourgeois, Sir Francis], painter to George III.; left his collection to Dulwich College, and £10,000 to build a gallery for them (1756-1811).
[Bourgeoisie], the name given in France to the middle class, professional people, and merchants, as distinguished from the nobles and the peasants, but applied by the Socialists to the capitalists as distinct from the workers.
[Bourges] (43), a French town in the dep. of Cher; birthplace of Louis XI. and Bourdaloue.
[Bourget, Paul], an eminent French novelist and essayist, born at Amiens; a subtle analyst of character, with a clear and elegant style, on which he bestows great pains; his novels are what he calls "psychological," and distinct from the romantist and naturalistic; b. 1852.
[Bourignon, Antoinette], a Flemish visionary and fanatic; resolved religion into emotion; brought herself into trouble by the wild fancies she promulgated, to the derangement of others as well as herself (1615-1680).