Bonald, LOUIS GABRIEL AMBROISE, VICOMTE DE

Bonald, LOUIS GABRIEL AMBROISE, VICOMTE DE, a French publicist, born in 1753 at Monna, in Aveyron, was compelled to emigrate during the French Revolution, and employed his pen at Heidelberg on behalf of monarchy. His first important work, Théorie du Pouvoir Politique et Religieux (3 vols. 1796), was seized by the Directory. It prophesied the restoration of the Bourbons. Having returned to France, he was in 1808 appointed by Napoleon Minister of Instruction. In 1815 he voted with the Ultramontane party, and ever after displayed a marked hostility to the freedom of the press, and all projects of electoral reform. Raised to the peerage by Louis XVIII. in 1823, he retired, under the next dynasty, to Monna, where he died 23d November 1840. His most important writings are: Législation Primitive (3 vols. 1802), and Recherches Philosophiques (2 vols. 1818), which have been immensely applauded by his own party, but are most remarkable for weak logic, historical inaccuracy, and unreasonable devotion to the pope and the Jesuits. A complete edition of his works in 12 volumes was published under his own supervision (1817-19).—His son, LOUIS JACQUES MAURICE (1787-1870), became Archbishop of Lyons in 1839, and a cardinal in 1841.