Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/238

204 seminary, Baltimore, at the same time filling the chair of philosophy in Georgetown college for several months. He was recalled to France by his superiors in 1803, in order to assist in reorganizing the institutions of the Sulpitian order, and taught theology in Aix and Lyons successively till 1811, when, the Sulpitians having been suppressed by an imperial decree, he was sent back to the United States, and, resuming his chair in St. Mary's, was for a time president of the institution. Shortly after his return he was nominated bishop of Philadelphia, but declined. He was afterward nominated coadjutor to the Archbishop of Baltimore, and consecrated in that city, 14 Dec, 1817. Disturbances had arisen in the diocese, owing: to the claim of lay trustees to a voice in the appointment of priests. Archbishop Marechal showed much wisdom and prudence in defence of what he considered his rights, and succeeded in restoring peace. On 31 May, 1821, he dedicated the cathedral of Baltimore, which had been begun by Archbishop Carroll in 1806. The walls of this structure had stood for several years only a few feet above the ground, and its completion was entirely due to Archbishop Marechal. The marble altar was a present from the priests of Marseilles, who had studied theology under him, and the paintings and other fine objects of art were also sent to him from France by some of his old pupils. In October. 1821, he went to Rome in the interests of his diocese, and he visited Canada in 1826 with the same object. On his return he went to Emmettsburg, Md., where he was attacked by the disease of which he died. Besides being thoroughly versed in theology. Archbishop Marechal was well acquainted with general literature and mathematics. He left various manuscripts behind him treating of several branches of the latter science. He published "Pastoral Letters of Archbishop Carroll to the Congregation of Trinity Church. Philadelphia, in 1797, and of Archbishop Marechal to that of Norfolk in 1819" (2d ed., Baltimore, 1819).

MAREST, or MARET, Gabriel (mah-ray), French missionary, b. in France; d. near Peoria, HI., in 1715. He was sent as a missionary to Canada, and labored successfully among the Illinois Indians in 1697, after acquiring a good knowledge of their language. He then established his mission permanently near Fort Peoria, and most of the tribes in the neighborhood became Christians. He was much annoyed by the French in the Illinois country, who were profligate and made light of his reproofs, and in 1711 he appealed to Gov. Bienville, who sent him a sergeant and twelve men to maintain order. Father Marest is the author of two narratives that have been published in the "Lettres edifiantes." The first gives an interesting account of a journey that he made to Hudson bay in 1694 in company with Iberville; the second, dated 9 Nov., 1712, from the Illinois country, contains several curious details as to the settlement of the French and the progress of Christianity among the Indians on the Mississippi.

MAREUIL, Peter de, French missionary, b. in France; d. there in 1742. He was a member of the Society of Jesus and was stationed among the Onondagas in 1708. when he informed the Marquis de Vaudreuil, the governor-general of Canada, that the Iroquois, at the instigation of the English, were about to declare war against the French colony. No attention was paid to his letter. War began in the following year, and Col. Peter Schuyler went from Albany to Onoridaga to persuade the missionary to accompany him thither on his return. Mareuil, unable to go to Canada, as the roads were be- set by war-parties, accepted the offer, and retired to Albany, where, in spite of the penal laws against Roman Catholic priests, he was welcomed as a friend, and, by a resolution of the assembly, maintained at the public expense, although as a state prisoner. He visited New York, where he witnessed the English preparations for the Chambly expedition. In 1710 there was an exchange of prisoners, and he was allowed to return to Montreal, which he reached in April, 1711. He afterward returned to France, and was employed in the College Louis le Grand, where he died. He was the last Jesuit missionary that was stationed among the Iroquois.

MARETZEK, Max, opera-manager, b. in Brunn, Austria, 28 June, 1821; d. on Staten Island, 14 May, 1897. He was educated in that city, and later pursued a course of musical training under the noted chapel-master, I. X. Seyfried. Some years afterward he became connected with the Italian opera in London as chorus-master, and within that time wrote the music of several dances and ballets. He came to New York city in 1848, where he began his career as leader of the orchestra at the Italian opera. Of this establishment he soon became manager, continuing as such for many years at the Astor place and Grand opera-houses, and the Academy of music, with occasional visits to other cities, Cuba and Mexico. Maretzek's administration was characterized by the production of many novelties, and the introduction of some native vocalists that have since become famous. He also established sundry reforms, and was the one impresario that, for a term of years, succeeded in placing Italian opera on an enduring and satisfactory footing. Maretzek wrote two operas, &ldquo;Hamlet&rdquo; and &ldquo;Sleepy Hollow.&rdquo; The first was produced in Germany, the second in this country. He had been a frequent contributor of musical sketches to American, French, and German periodicals, and had published &ldquo;Crotchets and Quavers,&rdquo; a volume of operatic reminiscences (New York, 1858).

MARGGRAF, George (marg-graf), German traveller, b. in Liebstaedt, Saxony, in 1610; d. on the coast of Guinea in 1644. He studied mathematics, and in 1636 accompanied to Brazil Dr. William Piso, the newly appointed governor of the Dutch possessions in that country. He afterward entered the service of Count Maurice, of Nassau, whose liberality supplied him with the means of exploring a considerable part of Brazil. He spent six years in travelling through the countries between Rio Grande and Pernambuco rivers, during which he collected a great number of facts in geography, natural history, and astronomy. With a view to increasing his knowledge, he went to the coast of Guinea, where he fell a victim to the climate. Fearing that through accident another might appropriate his materials, he wrote his manuscripts on natural history in cipher. These were deciphered by Joannes de Laet, who published the observations of Piso and Marggraf, with notes, under the litle &ldquo;G. Pisonis, de medicina Brasiliensi libri quatuor; Georgii Marggravii historiæ rerum naturalium Brasiliæ libri octo&rdquo; (Amsterdam, 1648). The work contains an immense number of new plants, to which he gave the names that were current among the natives of Brazil. Most of them have since been discovered again, and the descriptions of Marggraf have been recognized by naturalists as generally correct. Piso published a work in 1658 which combined the observations of himself and Marggraf, in which there is inserted a treatise of the latter entitled &ldquo;Tractatus topographicus et meteorologicus Brasiliæ, cum eclipsi solari; quibus additi sunt illius et aliorum