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_Name: Charles Joseph, comte de Flahaut
Date of Birth: 1785 – 1870
Place of Birth: Paris, France

Auguste Charles Joseph de Flahaut de La Billarderie, Comte de Flahaut de La Billarderie, born on 21 April 1785, was a French statesman and general. He was the lover of Hortense de Beauharnais, Napoleon Bonaparte's step-daughter and Queen of Holland, and they relationship brought forth an illegitimate son, named Charles Auguste Louis Joseph Demorny, who eventually became known as the Duc de Morny.

Born in Paris, he was an offspring of Alexandre Sébastien de Flahaut de La Billarderie, Comte de Flahaut de La Billarderie, who was beheaded in February 1793 at Arras, and Adélaïde Filleul, his wife, who became Mme. de Souza-Botelho afterwards. Charles de Flahaut was commonly thought to be the issue of a liaison his mother had with Talleyrand, a man with whom he had close connected his entire life. In 1792, his mother brought him into exile with her, and until 1798, was continued to live abroad.

In 1800, he enlisted as a volunteer in the army, and was granted his commission when the Battle of Marengo ended. He was also Murat’s aide-de-camp, and sustained injuries in 1805 during the Battle of Landbach. He met the Countess Potocka, Anne Poniatowski, at Warsaw, and they quickly became intimate. He was awarded the Legion of Honour after the Battle of Friedland, and in 1807, went back to Paris. In 1808, he also rendered his services to Spain, and then in Germany.


 
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_Name: Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy
Date of Birth: 15 June 1755
Place of Birth: Paris, France

Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy, was a French chemist. He lived from 15 June 1755 to 16 December 1809. He was born in Paris, France. He was one of Antoine Lavoisier’s contemporaries. In addition, he worked with notable people including Claude Berthollet, Guyton de Morveau and Lavoisier to produce the ‘Méthode de nomenclature chimique’. This work contributed greatly to the standardisation of chemical nomenclature.

Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy was the child of an apothecary. They were part of the Duke of Orleans’ household. He took up medicine after the advice of Félix Vicq-d'Azyr, an anatomist. He faced many challenges due to his lack of finances. In 1780, Antoine François got a doctor’s diploma. He was influenced by Jean Baptiste Michel Bucquet to focus on chemistry. Bucquet was then a professor at the Medical School of Paris. In 1784, he succeeded P. J. Macquer in lecturing at the college of Jardin du Roi. While lecturing at the college, Fourcroy became well-known.

Antoine François supported the ideas of Lavoisier. According to the count by the Catalogue of Scientific Papers of the Royal Society, Antoine François had 59 memoirs written by himself alone. A major contribution of Antoine François to systematic entomology was his work titled ‘Entomologia Parisiensis, sive, Catalogus insectorum quae in agro Parisiensi reperiuntur’. This was written with Étienne Louis Geoffroy.


 
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_The novel featured the protagonist Sylvester Bonnard, who was a sceptical scholar. This character reflected Anatole France's self. The novel soon earned acclaim for its excellent prose. Anatole France won a prize from the French Academy. In addition, Anatole France wrote ‘In La Rotisserie de la Reine Pedauque’. This work criticised occult beliefs. In addition, in ‘Les Opinions de Jerome Coignard’ (1893), Anatole France was able to create the feel of the fin de siècle.


Anatole France participated in the resolution of the Dreyfus Affair. Dreyfus was an officer of the Jewish army who was convicted of espionage activity. Anatole France signed the manifesto of Emile Zola to support Dreyfus. Anatole France later wrote on the affair in ‘Monsieur Bergeret’, his novel published in 1901.

Among Anatole France's works is ‘L'Île des Pingouins’, published in 1908. This happened after the nearsighted character, Abbot Mael, mistakenly baptised them.

Anatole France's most famous novel is probably ‘La Revolte des Anges’, published in 1914. The story featured the guardian angel Aracade. Arcade guarded Maurice d'Esparvieu, but later fell in love. Furthermore, the angel decided to join a revolution of angels against God.

In 1921, Anatole France was given a Nobel Prize.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1921. Anatole France died in 12 October 1924. He was then buried at the community cemetery in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris.

In the 1920s, Anatole France’s works were put in the Roman Catholic Church’s Index Librorum Prohibitorum or Prohibited Books Index.


Anatole France

6/11/2012

 
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_Name: Anatole France
Date of Birth: 16 April 1844
Place of Birth: Paris, France

Anatole France, born François-Anatole Thibault, was a French poet and novelist. He lived from 16 April 1844 to 12 October 1924. He was born in Paris, France. He was a best-selling writer of novels. His style was sceptical and ironic. Furthermore, he won a Nobel Prize for Literature, and became a member of the Académie française.

Anatole France’s love for books was developed since he was young. He was a bookseller’s son, His father owned the Librairie France, a bookstore specialising in material related to the French Revolution. In addition, the place was often sought by noted scholars during the period. Later, Anatole France attended the Collège Stanislas. He then worked for his father at the Librairie France. He eventually obtained the job of cataloguer in Bacheline-Deflorenne, and later, at Lemerre. The French State later gave Anatole France a position as its librarian.

In Anatole France’s early career, he became a poet as well as a journalist. By 1869, his poem titled ‘La Part de Madeleine’ was published by Le Parnasse Contemporain. Then In 1875, he was part of an important committee. They were tasked with the compilation of the third Parnasse Contemporain. He moved Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine, aside of the Parnasse.

Anatole France’s also worked as a journalist. From 1867 onwards, he produced several articles and notices. He gained recognition for writing the novel ‘Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard’.