A Biographical Dictionary of Freethinkers of All Ages and Nations Part 9

De Dominicis. See Dominicis.

De Felice (Francesco), Italian writer, b. Catania, Sicily, 1821, took part in the revolution of '43, and when Garibaldi landed in Sicily was appointed president of the provisional council of war. Has written on the reformation of elementary schools.

De Greef (Guillaume Joseph), advocate at Brussels Court of Appeal, b. at Brussels, 9 Oct. 1842. Author of an important Introduction to Sociology, 1886. Wrote in La Liberte, 1867-73, and now writes in La Societe Nouvelle.

De Gubernatis (Angelo), Italian Orientalist and writer, b. Turin, 7 April, 1840; studied at Turin University and became doctor of philosophy. He studied Sanskrit under Bopp and Weber at Berlin. Sig. de Gubernatis has adorned Italian literature with many important works, of which we mention his volumes on Zoological Mythology, which has been translated into English, '72: and on the Mythology of Plants. He has compiled and in large part written a Universal History of Literature, 18 vols. '82-85; edited La Revista Europea and the Revue Internationale, and contributed to many publications. He is a brilliant writer and a versatile scholar.

De Harven (Emile Jean Alexandre), b. Antwerp, 23 Sept. 1837, the anonymous author of a work on The Soul: its Origin and Destiny (Antwerp, 1879).

Dekker (Eduard Douwes), the greatest Dutch writer and Freethinker of this century, b. Amsterdam, 2 March, 1820. In '39 he accompanied his father, a ship's captain, to the Malayan Archipelago. He became officer under the Dutch government in Sumatra, Amboina, and a.s.sistant-Resident at Lebac, Java. He desired to free the Javanese from the oppression of their princes, but the government would not help him and he resigned and returned to Holland, '56. The next four years he spent, in poverty, vainly seeking justice for the Javanese. In '60 he published under the pen name of "Multatuli" Max Havelaar, a masterly indictment of the Dutch rule in India, which has been translated into German, French and English. Then follow his choice Minnebrieven (Love Letters), '61; Vorstenschool (A School for Princes), and Millioenen Studien (Studies on Millions). His Ideen, 7 vols. '62-79, are full of the boldest heresy. In most of his works religion is attacked, but in the Ideas faith is criticised with much more pungency and satire. He wrote "Faith is the voluntary prison-cell of reason." He was an honorary member of the Freethought Society, De Dageraad, and contributed to its organ. During the latter years of his life he lived at Wiesbaden, where he died 19 Feb. 1887. His corpse was burned in the crematory at Gotha.

De Lalande (see Lalande).

Delambre (Jean Baptiste Joseph), French astronomer, b. Amiens, 19 Sept. 1749, studied under Lalande and became, like his master, an Atheist. His Tables of the Orbit of Ura.n.u.s were crowned by the Academy, 1790. In 1807 he succeeded Lalande as Professor of Astronomy at the College de France. He is the author of a History of Astronomy in five volumes, and of a number of astronomical tables and other scientific works He was appointed perpetual secretary of the Academy of Sciences. Died 19 Aug. 1822, and was buried at Pere la Chaise. Cuvier p.r.o.nouncing a discourse over his grave.

De la Ramee. See Ramee.

Delboeuf (Joseph Remi Leopold), Belgian writer, b. Liege, 30 Sept. 1831; is Professor at the University of Liege, and has written Psychology as a Natural Science, its Present and its Future; Application of the Experimental Method to the Phenomena of the Soul, '73, and other works. In his Philosophical Prolegomena to Geometry he suggests that even mathematical axioms may have an empirical origin.

Delbos (Leon), linguist, b. 20 Sept. 1849 of Spanish father and Scotch mother. Educated in Paris, Lycee Charlemagne. Is an M.A. of Paris and officier d'Academie. Speaks many languages, and is a good Arabic and Sanskrit scholar. Has travelled widely and served in the Franco-German War. Besides many educational works, M. Delbos has written L'Athee, the Atheist, a Freethought romance '79, and in English The Faith in Jesus not a New Faith, '85. He has contributed to the Agnostic Annual, and is a decided Agnostic.

Delepierre (Joseph Octave), Belgian bibliophile, b. Bruges, 12 March, 1802. Was for thirty-five years secretary of Legation to England. His daughter married N. Truebner, who published his work L'Enfer, 1876, and many other bibliographical studies. Died London, 18 Aug. 1879.

Delescluze (Louis Charles), French journalist and revolutionary, b. Dreux, 2 Oct. 1809, was arrested in '34 for sedition. Implicated in a plot in '35, he took refuge in Belgium. In '48 he issued at Paris La Revolution Democratique et Sociale, but was soon again in prison. He was banished, came to England with Ledru Rollin, but returning to France in '53 was arrested. In '68 he published the Reveil, for which he was again fined and sentenced to prison for ten years. In '59 he was amnestied and imprisoned. He became head of the Commune Committee of Public Safety, and died at the barricade, 25 May, 1871.

Deleyre (Alexandre), French writer, b. Porbats, near Bordeaux, 6 Jan. 1726. Early in life he entered the order of Jesuits, but changed his faith and became the friend of Rousseau and Diderot. He contributed to the Encyclopedie, notably the article "Fanatisme," and published an a.n.a.lysis of Bacon and works on the genius of Montesquieu and Saint Evremond, and a History of Voyages. He embraced the Revolution with ardor, was made deputy to the Convention, and in 1795 was made member of the Inst.i.tute. Died at Paris, 27 March, 1797.

Delisle de Sales. See Isoard Delisle (J. B. C.)

Dell (John Henry), artist and poet, b. 11 Aug. 1832. Contributed to Progress, wrote Nature Pictures, '71, and The Dawning Grey, '85, a volume of vigorous verse, imbued with the spirit of democracy and freethought. Died 31 Jan. 1888.

Deluc (Adolphe), Professor of Chemistry at Brussels, b. Paris, 1 Sept. 1811. Collaborated on La Libre Recherche.

De Maillet. See Maillet (Benoit de).

Democritus, a wealthy Atheistic philosopher, b. Abdera, Thrace, B.C. 460. He travelled to Egypt and over a great part of Asia, and is also said to have visited India. He is supposed to have been acquainted with Leucippus, and sixty works were ascribed to him. Died B.C. 357. He taught that all existence consisted of atoms, and made the discovery of causes the object of scientific inquiry. He is said to have laughed at life in general, which Montaigne says is better than to imitate Herac.l.i.tus and weep, since mankind are not so unhappy as vain. Democritus was the forerunner of Epicurus, who improved his system.

Demonax, a cynical philosopher who lived in the second century of the Christian era and rejected all religion. An account of him was written by Lucian.

Demora (Gianbattista), director of the Libero Pensatore of Milan, and author of some dramatic works.

Denis (Hector), Belgian advocate and professor of political economy and philosophy at Brussels University, b. Braine-le-Comte, 29 April, 1842. Has written largely on social questions and contributed to La Liberte, la Philosophie Positive, etc. Is one of the Council of the International Federation of Freethinkers.

Denslow (Van Buren), American writer, author of essays on Modern Thinkers, 1880, to which Colonel Ingersoll wrote an introduction. He contributed a paper on the value of irreligion to the Religio Philosophic journal of America, Jan. '78, and has written in the Truthseeker and other journals.

Denton (William F.), poet, geologist, and lecturer, b. Darlington, Durham, 8 Jan. 1823. After attaining manhood he emigrated to the United States, '48, and in '56 published Poems for Reformers. He was a prolific writer, and constant lecturer on temperance, psychology, geology, and Freethought. In '72 he published Radical Discourses on Religious Subjects (Boston, '72), and Radical Rhymes, '79. He travelled to Australasia, and died of a fever while conducting scientific explorations in New Guinea 26 Aug. 1883.

De Paepe (Cesar) Dr., Belgian Socialist, b. Ostend, 12 July, 1842. He was sent to the college of St. Michel, Brussels. He obtained the Diploma of Candidate of Philosophy, but on the death of his father became a printer with Desire Brismee (founder of Les Solidaires, a Rationalist society). Proudhon confided to him the correction of his works. He became a physician and is popular with the workmen's societies. He was one of the foremost members of the International and attended all its congresses, as well as those of the International Federation of Freethinkers. He has written much on public hygiene, political economy, and psychology, collaborating in a great number of the most advanced journals. Dr. De Paepe is a short, fair, energetic man, capable both as a speaker and writer.

Depa.s.se (Hector), French writer, b. at Armentieres in 1843, is editor of La Republique Francaise, and member of the Paris Munic.i.p.al Council. He has written a striking work on Clericalism, in which he urges the separation of Church and State, 1877; and is author of many little books on Contemporary Celebrities, among them are Gambetta, Bert, Ranc, etc.

De Ponnat. See Ponnat (--de), Baron.

De Pontan. See Ponnat.

De Potter (Agathon Louis), Belgian economist, b. Brussels, 11 Nov. 1827. Has written many works on Social Science, and has collaborated to La Ragione (Reason), '56, and La Philosophie de l'Avenir.

De Potter (Louis Antoine Joseph), Belgian politician and writer, father of the above, b. of n.o.ble family, Bruges, 26 April, 1786. In 1811 he went to Italy and lived ten years at Rome. In '21 he wrote the Spirit of the Church, in 6 vols., which are put on the Roman Index. A strong upholder of secular education in Belgium, he was arrested more than once for his radicalism, being imprisoned for eighteen months in '28. In Sept. '30 he became a member of the provisional government. He was afterwards exiled and lived in Paris, where he wrote a philosophical and anti-clerical History of Christianity, in 8 vols., 1836-37. He also wrote a Rational Catechism, 1854, and a Rational Dictionary, 1859, and numerous brochures. Died Bruges, 22 July, 1859.

Deraismes (Maria), French writer and lecturer, b. Paris, 15 Aug. 1835. She first made her name as a writer of comedies. She wrote an appeal on behalf of her s.e.x, Aux Femmes Riches, '65. The Masonic Lodge of Le Pecq, near Paris, invited her to become a member, and she was duly installed under the Grand Orient of France. The first female Freemason, was president of the Paris Anti-clerical Congress of 1881, and has written much in her journal, Le Republicain de Seine et Oise.

De Roberty (Eugene). See Roberty.

Desbarreaux (Jacques Vallee), Seigneur, French poet and sceptic, b. Paris, 1602, great-nephew of Geoffrey Vallee, who was burnt in 1574. Many stories are related of his impiety, e.g. the well-known one of his having a feast of eggs and bacon. It thundered, and Des Barreaux, throwing the plate out of window, exclaimed, "What an amount of noise over an omelette." It was said he recanted and wrote a poem beginning, "Great G.o.d, how just are thy chastis.e.m.e.nts." Voltaire, however, a.s.signs this poem to the Abbe Levau. Died at Chalons, 9 May, 1673.

Descartes (Rene), French philosopher, b. at La Haye, 31 March, 1596. After leaving college he entered the army in '16, and fought in the battle of Prague. He travelled in France and Italy, and in '29 settled in Holland. In '37 he produced his famous Discourses upon the Method of Reasoning Well, etc., and in '41 his Meditations upon First Philosophy. This work gave such offence to the clergy that he was forced to fly his country "parce qu'il y fait trop chaud pour lui." He burnt his Traite du Monde (Treatise on the World) lest he should incur the fate of Gallilei. Though a Theist, like Bacon, he puts aside final causes. He was offered an asylum by Christina, Queen of Sweden, and died at Stockholm 11 Feb. 1650.

Deschamps (Leger-Marie), known also as Dom Deschamps, a French philosopher, b. Rennes, Poitiers, 10 Jan. 1716. He entered the Order of Benedictines, but lost his faith by reading an abridgment of the Old Testament. He became correspondent of Voltaire, Rousseau, d'Alembert, Helvetius, and other philosophers. "Ce pretre athee,"

as Ad. Franck calls him, was the author of a treatise ent.i.tled La Verite, ou le Vrai Systeme, in which he appears to have antic.i.p.ated all the leading ideas of Hegel. G.o.d, he says, as separated from existing things, is pure nothingness. An a.n.a.lysis of his remarkable work, which remained in ma.n.u.script for three-quarters of a century, has been published by Professor Beaussire (Paris, 1855). Died at Montreuil-Bellay, 19 April 1774.

Deslandes (Andre Francois Boureau), b. Pondichery, 1690. Became member of the Berlin Academy and wrote numerous works, mostly under the veil of anonymity, the princ.i.p.al being A Critical History of Philosophy, 3 vols(1737). His Pygmalion, a philosophical romance, was condemned by the parliament of Dijon, 1742. His Reflexions sur les grands hommes qui sont mort en Plaisantant (Amsterdam, 1732) was translated into English and published in 1745 under the t.i.tle, Dying Merrily. Another work directed against religion was On the certainty of Human Knowledge, a philosophical examination of the different prerogatives of reason and faith (London, 1741). Died Paris, 11 April, 1757.

Des Maizeaux (Pierre), miscellaneous writer, b. Auvergne, 1673. He studied at Berne and Geneva, and became known to Bayle who introduced him to Lord Shaftesbury, with whom he came to London, 1699. He edited the works of Bayle, Saint Evremond and Toland, whose lives he wrote, as well as those of Hales and Chillingworth. Anthony Collins was his friend, and at his death left him his ma.n.u.scripts. These he transferred to Collins's widow and they were burnt. He repented and returned the money, 6 Jan. 1730, as the wages of iniquity. He became Secretary of the Royal Society of London, where he died, 11 July, 1745.

Desmoulins (Lucie Simplice Camille Benoit), French revolutionary writer, b. Guise, 2 March, 1760. He was a fellow-student of Robespierre at Paris, and became an advocate and an enthusiastic reformer. In July '89 he incited the people to the siege of the Bastille, and thus began the Revolution. On 29 Dec. 1790 he married Lucile Laridon-Duplessis. He edited Le Vieux Cordelier and the Revolutions de France et de Brabant, in which he stated that Mohammedanism was as credible as Christianity. He was a Deist, preferring Paganism to Christianity. Both creeds were more or less unreasonable; but, folly for folly, he said, I prefer Hercules slaying the Erymanthean boar to Jesus of Nazareth drowning two thousand pigs. He was executed with Danton, 5 April 1794. His amiable wife, Lucile, who was an Atheist (b. 1770), in a few days shared his fate (April 13). Carlyle calls Desmoulins a man of genius, "a fellow of infinite shrewdness, wit--nay, humor."

Des Periers (Jean Bonaventure), French poet and sceptic, b. Arnay le Duc, about 1510. He was brought up in a convent, only to detest the vices of the monks. In 1535 he lived in Lyons and a.s.sisted Dolet. He probably knew Rabelais, whom he mentions as "Francoys Insigne." Attached to the court of Marguerite of Valois, he defended Clement Marot when persecuted for making a French version of the Psalms. He wrote the Cymbalum Mundi, a satire upon religion, published under the name of Thomas de Clenier a Pierre Tryocan, i.e., Thomas Incredule a Pierre Croyant, 1537. It was suppressed and the printer, Jehan Morin, imprisoned. Des Periers fled and died (probably by suicide, to escape persecution) 1544. An English version of Cymbalum Mundi was published in 1712. P. G. Brunet, the bibliographer, conjectures that Des Periers was the author of the famous Atheistic treatise, The Three Impostors.

Destriveaux (Pierre Joseph), Belgian lawyer and politician, b. Liege, 13 March, 1780. Author of several works on public right. Died Schaerbeck (Brussels), 3 Feb. 1853.

Destutt de Tracy (Antoine Louis de Claude) Count, French materialist philosopher, b. 20 July, 1754. His family was of Scotch origin. At first a soldier, he was one of the first n.o.blemen at the Revolution to despoil himself of his t.i.tle. A friend of Lafayette, Condorcet, and Cabanis, he was a complete sceptic in religion; made an a.n.a.lysis of Dupuis' Origine de tous les Cultes (1804), edited Montesquieu and Cabanis, was made a member of the French Academy (1808), and wrote several philosophical works, of which the princ.i.p.al is Elements of Ideology. He was a great admirer of Hobbes. Died Paris, 9 March, 1836.

Des Vignes (Pietro), secretary to Frederick II. (1245-49). Mazzuch.e.l.li attributes to him the treatise De Tribus Impostoribus.

Detrosier (Rowland), social reformer and lecturer, b. 1796, the illegitimate son of a Manchester man named Morris and a Frenchwoman. In his early years he was "for whole days without food." Self-educated, he established the first Mechanics' Inst.i.tute in England at Hulme, gave Sunday scientific lectures, and published several discourses in favor of secular education. He became secretary of the National Political Union. He was a Deist. Like Bentham, who became his friend, he bequeathed his body for scientific purposes. Died in London, 23 Nov. 1834.

Deubler (Konrad). The son of poor parents, b. Goisern, near Ischl, Upper Austria, 26 Nov. 1814. Self-taught amid difficulties, he became the friend of Feuerbach and Strauss, and was known as "the Peasant Philosopher." In 1854 he was indicted for blasphemy, and was sentenced to two years' hard labor and imprisonment during pleasure. He was incarcerated from 7 Dec. '54, till Nov. '56 at Brunn, and afterwards at Olmutz, where he was released 24 March, 1857. He returned to his native place, and was visited by Feuerbach. In '70 he was made Burgomaster by his fellow-townsmen. Died 30 March, 1884.

Deurhoff (Willem), Dutch writer, b. Amsterdam, March 1650. Educated for the Church, he gave himself to philosophy, translated the works of Descartes, and was accused of being a follower of Spinoza. Forced to leave his country, he took refuge in Brabant, but returned to Holland, where he died 10 Oct. 1717. He left some followers.

De Wette. (See Wette M. L. de).

D'Holbach. See Holbach (P. H. D. von), Baron.

Diagoras, Greek poet, philosopher, and orator, known as "the Atheist,"

b. Melos. A pupil of Democritus, who is said to have freed him from slavery. A doubtful tradition reports that he became an Atheist after being the victim of an unpunished perjury. He was accused (B.C. 411) of impiety, and had to fly from Athens to Corinth, where he died. A price was put upon the Atheist's head. His works are not extant, but several anecdotes are related of him, as that he threw a wooden statue of Hercules into the fire to cook a dish of lentils, saying the G.o.d had a thirteenth task to perform; and that, being on his flight by sea overtaken by a storm, hearing his fellow-pa.s.sengers say it was because an Atheist was on board, he pointed to other vessels struggling in the same storm without being laden with a Diagoras.

Di Cagno Politi (Niccola Annibale), Italian Positivist, b. Bari, 1857. Studied at Naples under Angiulli, has written on modern culture and on experimental philosophy in Italy, and contributed articles on Positivism to the Rivista Europea.