Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 6.djvu/251

 FRANCESCHINI

205

FRANCES

Swiss Literature in the French Language. — Swiss- French literature lias produced great writers, but has not kept them ; they have deserted their original coun- try to seek naturalization in France. This was the case with J.J. Rousseau, Mine de Stael, and Benjamin Constant, who, though Swiss by origin, are thor- oughly French writers. In the nineteenth century Swiss-French literature, above all, boasts of critics like Alexandre Vinet (1797-1847) and Edmond Sch^rer (1815-89), both distinguished by their ten- dency to emphasize moral interests, both, moreover, treating chiefly of French literature. In romance, likewise, M. Victor Cherbuliez (1S29-1900), who ex- celled in the knack of weaving into the plot of a story current questions of art, science, and philosophy, and M. Kdouard Rod are very decidedly French writers. The only truly Swiss author is Topfer (1799-1810), who has left some little masterpieces of romance at once sentimental and humorous, such as his " Histoire de M. Pencil" and his " Voyages et aventures du doc- teur Festus" (1849).

NisARD, Histoire de la litteralure fran^aise (Brussels, 1879); Brunetiere, Manuel de I'Histoire de la litteralure ^rancnise (Paris, 1897): Id., Histoire de la litteralure jraw;aise classique (Paris, only one volume has appeared); Doumic, Histoire de la litteralure jramaise (Paris. 1900); Lanson, Histoire de la littera- lure frajicaise; Paris, Z.a LilteratureiranfaiseauMoyen-Age; La po^sie au Moyen-Age; Petit de Julleville, Histoire du Theatre franfaise au Moyen-Age;S\lNTE-liEvVK,Tableau de la litteralure fraru^aise au XVU sil-cle; Causeries du Lundi; Nouveaux Lundis; Brunetiere, Etudes critiques sur Vhistoire de la litteralure fran- raise (Paris, 1887 — ); Id., Histoire et littirature (Paris, 1884-86); Id., Questions de critique (Paris, 1889); Id., Nouvetles questions de critiques (Paris, 1890); Id., Essais sur ta litteralure eontem- poraine (Pans, 1892); Id., Nouveaux- essais de litlerature contem- poTaine (Paris. 1895); Id., L'evolution de la pocsie lyrique en France au XIX' siecle; Id., L'evolution des genres (Paris, 1890 — ): Id., Les epoques du theatre fram-ai^e; Bmuhget. Essais de psychologic contemporaine; Noiti'ii ' r ■ i <', p ,■ ^il-"jie con- temporaine; hEidA.lTRE, Les Contr'n :1 -!u thea-

tre; Faguet, Etudes litleraires sm \\ I. /' ■pticme

siicle; Dix-huitihne siecle; DVj--?/. / . "/■ ./-(/',■ I'"li/ i,jiies d moratistes du XIXe siecle; Doumic, Etudes sur Ui litlerature fran(aise:Bcrivainsd'auiour'hui{Fa.Tis,lS06-W00);lD., Portraits d'ecrivains (Paris, 1892); Id., Les Jeunes (Paris, — ); Id., Les hommes et les idees du XIXi siicle (Paris, 1904); Id., De Scribe h Ibsen {Paris, 1S93) ; Id., fssais sur le theatre contemporain (Paris, 1896).

English Works — Saintsburt, Short History of French Litera- ture (London. 1SS2); van I.aun, Hist, of French Lit. (3 vols., Edinliurgh, 1876); Hirschfeld, Gesehichte der fran::. Literalur (Leipzig and Vienna, 1900). RenE DouMIC.

Franceschini, Marc' Antonio, Italian painter; b. at Bologna, 1648; d. there c. 1729 ; best known for the decorative works he carried out in Parma, Bologna, and Genoa, and for the designs executed for Clement XI for certain mosaics in St. Peter's. He may be regarded as a member of the Eclectic School and a follower of the Carracci, and his chief works consist of the Ranuzzi ceiling in Bologna, two fine pictures in the Bologna Gallery (Annunciation and the Holy Family) and one in the Servite convent depicting the founders of the order. Other less important churches in the same city are adorned with his works and there are five of his paintings at Vienna. He also decorated a church at Crema in 1716, and a few years later painted a fine picture of St. Thomas of Villanova giving alms to the poor, to be seen in the Augustinian church at Rimini. He is believed to have lived to a great age. Historians have stated that he visited Madrid, but the more general opinion is that he declined an invitation to that city, saying that he did not wish to leave his na- tive country. He painted down to the very moment of his death, and on one of his pictures at Venice he declares that he was seventy-eight when he finished it, and on another in Genoa, representing Rebecca, that he was eighty. His drawing was very precise, colouring fresh and vivid, and his shadows were not so intense as those of his predecessors.

Zanotti, Sloria delV .Accademia di Bologna (Bologna, 1739); Idem, .Avverlimenli alia pittura (Bologna, 1756).

George Ch.\rles Williamson.

Frances d' Amboise, Bles.sed, Duchess of Brittany, afterwards Carmelite nun; b. 1427; d. at Nantes, 4

Nov., 1485. The daughter of Louis d'Amboise, Vis- count de Thouars, she was betrothed when only four years old, to Peter, second son of John V, Duke of Brit- tany, the marriage being solemnized when she had reached the age of fifteen. The union was, however, not very happy owing to the morose disposition of the husband who occasionally ill-treated his wife; but her gentleness gradually changed his heart, he assisted her in her works of charity and did penance for his former dissolute life. After his succession to the duke- dom in 1450 her wholesome influence made itself felt in wider circles; she also intervened, not always suc- cessfully, in the never-ending family feuds. The duke died, leaving no legitimate heir, in 1457, after having borne testimony in his last will to the devotedness of his wife. The latter consecrated her life to God, but for several years she was unable to consummate the sacrifice by entering a convent. While being educated by her future mother-in-law she had early distin- guished herself by almsdeeds and fervent devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. During her married life she devoted a large portion of her fortune to the founda- tion of a convent of Poor Clares at Nantes, which she would have joined had her strength allowed it; she also took part in the preliminaries of the canonization of St. Vincent Ferrer, became a benefactress of the Dominican convent at Nantes, and made the acquaint- ance of Blessed John Soreth, General of theCarmelites, who in 1452 had established the first community of Carmelite nuns. Some of these, coming from Liege, were received by Frances at Vannes (31 Oct., 14(j3) where they were entertained at the castle until the convent called "The Three Maries" was habitable. Having provided their dowries she entered the noviti- ate (25 March, 1468), making her profession the fol- lowing year. After some time spent as infirmarian she was elected prioress for life (147.3), and became by lier splendid example the model of a true Carmelite nun, and, in a sense, the foundress of this branch of the order. The convent proving too .small she obtained, not without litigation, a larger one at Nantes. She died in a holy ecstasy, and miracles were wrought at her tomb. During the Huguenot wars and the French Revolution her body had to be saved twice from prof- anation. Pius IX beatified her 10 July, 186.3.

Richard, Vie de la B. Fran^oise d' Aniboise (1S65); Ada SS., Nov., II, 520.

Benedict Zimmerman.

Frances of Rome, S.unt (Bfssa di Leoni), one of the greatest mystics of the fifteenth century; b. at Rome, of a noble family, in 1384; d. there, 9 March, 1440. Her youthful desire was to enter rehgion, but at her father's wish she married, at the age of twelve, Lorenzo de' Ponziani. Among her children we know of Battista, who carried on tlie family name, Evange- Ii.sta, a child of great gifts (d. 1411), and Agnes (d. 1413). Frances w'as remarkable for her charity to the poor, and for her zeal for souls. She won away many Roman ladies from a life of frivolity, and united them in an association of oblates attached to the White Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria Nuova; later they became the Benedictine Oblate Congregation of Tor di Specchi (25 March, 1433) which was approved liy Eugene IV (4 July, 1433). Its members led the life of religious, but without strict cloister or formal vows, and gave themselves up to prayer and good works. With her husband's consent Frances prac- ticed continency, and advanced in a life of contempla- tion. Her visions often assumed the form of dramas enacted for her by heavenly personages. She had the gift of miracles and ecstasy, as well as the bodily vis- ion of her guardian angel, had revelations concerning purgatory and hell, and foretold the ending of the Western Schism. She could read the secrets of con- sciences and detect plots of diabolical origin. Slie was remarkable for her humilitj' and detachment, her