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DUMAS

560

DUMOURIEZ

ties is indirect, being made by electoral bodies themselves chosen by elective assemblies. ^ On March 6, 1906, changes were made in the constitution of the Duma. It now has equal legislative powers with the Council of the Empire ana the same right of initiative in legislation and of putting questions to ministers. Every measure must, before being submitted to the emperor for his sanction, be passed by the Duma as well as the Council. Any measure rejected by the Duma or by the Council is not even laid before the tsar. The Duma, like the Council, has the right to annul the election of any member. The sittings of both bodies are public. Debates may be ended by the decision of the majority. The Duma is not empowered to receive petitions or deputations. Ministers of the government may be elected to the Duma and vote as members. The legislators are paid about $5 a day during sessions, receive their traveling expenses, have personal immunity during sessions, and are liable to arrest only with the Duma's permission. Bills rejected by the tsar can not again be brought forward during the same session, nor those rejected by it be brought forward again at all without the tsar's consent.

Dumas (du'ma'), Alexandra, a celebrated French writer, was born in 1802. He was brought up in a country-t own, and when about 21 went to Paris to seek his fortune. He began to write plays, and soon his Henry III gained him a great reputation in Paris. Soon after, he visited Switzerland and wrote for a magazine his impressions of the journey. This work was also successful; but it was his Monte Cristo which made his reputation world-wide. This was soon followed by his no less famous Three Musketeers. After these works he undertook to write a large number of stories, any one of which was enough to keep an ordinary man busy. In order to do this work, he hired several young writers, and when they had written the first draft of a story, Dumas worked it over and had it published under his own name. This brought him into disrepute, but he kept on in the same plan. He was extravagant in every way, and after engaging in several wild schemes, one of which was joining Garibaldi in 1860, he lost all M§ fortune and died penniless in 1870.

ALEXANDRE   DUMAS

Dumas,  Alexandra   (known   as   Dumas the younger), French novelist and drama-~                  tist, was born at

Paris, July 2 8, 1824, and died there on Nov. 2 7, 1895. He was the son of A. Dumas pere, author o f Monte C r i s to, and was educated at the College Bourbon, in Paris. He began his literary career by publishing, at the age of 17, a volume of poems, Peches de Jeunesse, after which he accompanied his father on a tour in Spain and in northern Africa. He created a sensation by the issue of La Dame aux Came lias, after which, for nearly 40 years, appeared a stream of novels and writings for the stage, which deal largely with the demimonde of Paris. His brighter plays include Le Fits Naturel, L'Ami des Femmes, Denise and L'Affaire Clemenceau. He became a member of the French Academy in 1875 and a grand officer of the Legion of Honor in 1894.

Du Maurier (du mo'ryd'), George L. P. B., a naturalized British artist, notable for his sketches in Lon-d o n Punch, was born at Paris, March 6, 1834, and died at London, Oct. 8, 1896. Settling early in London, after studying art in Paris, he be- * gan to contribute! sketches to Once a| Week, to Cornhill Magazine and to Punch, s u b s e-quently joining the staff of the latter, the pages of which he enriched with caricature sketches of society-life as typified in London high life. He also illustrated Thackeray's Esmond and Ballads, and in 1891 appeared as a novelist and lecturer. His novels, which were illustrated by his brush, include Peter Ibbetson, Trilby and The Martian. ^

Dumouriez (dumoo-rya'), Charles Francois, a general during the French Revolution, was born in 1739. When the revolution broke out, he joined the popular party, and in 1790 was appointed commander at Nantes. He was then named minister of foreign affairs, but resigned the position to take command of one of the French armies; and it was largely by his strategy that France was victorious over the allies at that time. He gained the battle at Volney, and over*

GEORGE DU MAURIER

ALEXANDRE  DUMAS    (fils)