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Le Play, Pierre Guillaume Frédéric

(Encyclopedia)Le Play, Pierre Guillaume Frédéric pyĕr gēyōmˈ frādārēkˈ lə plā [key], 1806–82, French sociologist and economist. As an engineer he traveled through Europe, gathering data on the budgets...

Prévert, Jacques

(Encyclopedia)Prévert, Jacques zhäk prāvĕrˈ [key], 1900–1977, French poet. One of the most popular of 20th-century French writers, Prévert produced poetry ranging from the humorous to the satiric to the mel...

Binet, Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Binet, Alfred älfrĕdˈ bēnāˈ [key], 1857–1911, French psychologist. From 1894 he was director of the psychology laboratory at the Sorbonne. He is known for his research and innovation in testin...

Borghese

(Encyclopedia)Borghese bōrgāˈzā [key], Roman noble family, originally of Siena. It produced one pope, Paul V, several cardinals, and many prominent citizens. The Borghese were noted patrons of arts and letters....

Gérin-Lajoie, Antoine

(Encyclopedia)Gérin-Lajoie, Antoine äNtwänˈ zhārăNˈ-läzhwäˈ [key], 1824–82, French Canadian author and journalist, b. Quebec prov. After serving as an editor (1845–52) on the Minerve, a Montreal newsp...

Cherubini, Luigi

(Encyclopedia)Cherubini, Luigi lwēˈjē kāro͞obēˈnē [key], 1760–1842, Italian composer, who lived in Paris after 1788. Before he was 16 he wrote masses and other sacred works; he later composed Italian oper...

Rougemont, Denis de

(Encyclopedia)Rougemont, Denis de dənēˈ də ro͞ozhmôNˈ [key], 1906–85, French philosopher and critic, b. Switzerland. He moved to Paris in 1936 and published numerous articles on existentialism, some of whi...

Barbey d'Aurevilly, Jules Amédée

(Encyclopedia)Barbey d'Aurevilly, Jules Amédée zhül ämādāˈ bärbāˈ dōrvēyēˈ [key], 1808–89, French writer and critic. An aristocrat and monarchist, he supported himself by journalism; his output of c...

Thierry, Augustin

(Encyclopedia)Thierry, Augustin ōgüstăNˈ tyĕrēˈ [key], 1795–1856, French historian. His vivid literary style, romantic treatment of events, and use of contemporary documents helped to create interest in hi...

Bazard, Saint-Amand

(Encyclopedia)Bazard, Saint-Amand săNtämäNˈ bäzärˈ [key], 1791–1832, French socialist. He founded (1818) a republican society, Les Amis de la vérité [Friends of Truth], and was a member of the Carbonari....