Falloux

Falloux, FRÉDERIC ALFRED PIERRE, COMTE DE, a French author and statesman, was born at Angers, 7th May 1811. He first drew attention to himself by two works penetrated by an ardent love of the old Bourbon order of things—L'Histoire de Louis XVI. (1840) and L'Histoire de Saint Pie V. (1844). In 1846 he was chosen deputy for the department Maine-et-Loire. In religion he advocated the ideas of Montalembert, in politics those of Berryer, and united with his Legitimist sentiments a love of liberty and education strangely incongruous with the historic character of his party. After the revolution of February 1848 he exhibited much energy as a member of the Constituent Assembly, was one of those who organised the resistance to the insurrection of the 15th May, and, as reporter on the national workshops, pronounced for their immediate dissolution. He was also one of the most ardent promoters of the expedition to Rome. On the election of Louis Napoleon to the presidency, Falloux was appointed Minister of Public Instruction, an office which he held for only ten months. After the coup d'état he retired from public life to a country-seat near Angers, where he occupied himself with agricultural pursuits, and where he died, 6th January 1886. He was a member of the French Academy. His writings include Souvenirs de Charité (1857), Méditations et Prières (1863), and Le Convention du 15 Septembre (1864).