Thierry, JACQUES NICOLAS AUGUSTIN

Thierry, JACQUES NICOLAS AUGUSTIN, French historian, born at Blois, 10th May 1795. His father, who became town-librarian, was his first instructor; while yet young he obtained a 'bourse' at the college of his native town, and in 1811 entered the École Normale. In 1814 he completed his courses and joined the ranks of the Parisian Liberals. Soon after appeared his first book, entitled De la Réorganisation de la Société Européenne. In this and subsequent treatises he considered the notion of one government for the whole of Europe without the destruction of national characteristics. These works were inspired by Saint-Simon (q.v.), whose secretary Thierry became, and with whom he lived for three years. In 1817, however, he and Saint-Simon no longer agreed; and Thierry joined Comte, who had not then fallen under the influence of Saint-Simon (see COMTE). Jointly with Dunoyer Thierry aided for three years in the Censeur Européen, where he found plenty of practice as a student and exponent of history. In 1820, however, he contributed his 'Letters on the History of France' to the Courrier Français, and showed a new influence acting on his own mind, and destined in turn to act largely on his future readers; bringing history, in fact, to practical application. Thierry dwelt on the principle of race, and attributed the establishment of the feudal system (with the evils which he ascribed to it) to the sub- jugation of western Europe by the Germans and Scandinavians. In 1825 he published his masterpiece, the Conquest of England, followed in 1827 by a series of 'Letters on History'; but the labour cost him his eyesight. In 1828 he went to the south of France for the benefit of his health; and here he met Julie de Quéréngal, a lady of considerable literary accomplishment, whom he married. In 1835 he became librarian at the Palais Royal, and published his Dix Ans d'Études, the introduction to which is famed for its eloquence. In 1840 he received the 'Gobert' prize, which the Academy made perpetual in his favour. His last work was on the Tiers État, published in 1853; and three years later his laborious life was closed by paralysis, 22d May 1856. He may be called the father of romantic history, and a disciple of the school of Sir Walter Scott, whom he regarded as the 'great master of historical divination'; he also described himself as indebted for inspiration to Chateaubriand's Martyrs. After Michelet he is the greatest artist of his class. See a monograph by Aubineau (2d ed. 1879).—A younger brother, AMÉDÉE SIMON DOMINIQUE THIERRY (1797-1873), was likewise a Liberal and a historian, his chief works histories of Gaul and of Attila.