Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/228

MAUPERTUIS. philosophy, and he and, Maupcrtuis were soon quarreling over the question ot the discovery of inlinitesinial calculus and of certain laws of which Maupcrtuis claimed to be the author. Voltaire sided with Kiinig and satirized Mauper- tuis severely. Frederick interposed in belialf of Maupcrtuis, but to no avail. The hitter, broken in health and spirit, returned to France, and in IToS went to Basel, where he died in a short time. Some of his chief works are: Hur la figure de la terre (1738) ; Discours sur la parallaxe de la lune (1741); Discouis sur la figure des astres (1742) ; Letlre sur la comete de n.'i2 (1742) ; .4s<roiio»iie nautique (1745 and 1756) ; Essai de cosmoloyie ( 1750) ; Maupcrliana ou ccrits divers (Leyden, 1753). His collected works, in four vohunes, were publislied in Paris in 1752 and again in Lyons in 1708. under the title. CEuvrcs computes dc M. de Mauperiuis. Consult: Ue la Baumelle, I ie de Maupertuis (Paris. 185G) : Damiron, Mcmoires sur Mauper- tui.i I P:iri-, 1S5S).

MAUPRAT, mAprii'. A novel by George Sand (1836). A drama in six acts was made from the story by the author and presented at the Odeon in 1853.

MAUBEL, m.Vrel', Victor (1848—). A French barytone singer, born in Marseilles. He was a pupil of the Marseilles and Paris conserva- tories, and made his first ajipcarance at the CIpcra Htnise in Paris. .Afterwaid-i lie went to Italy, and sang at the 8eala in Milan. A tour thrnugli Kuriipe and in America followed, and in 187!l he returned to Paris and sang in Ham- let, Aida, Faust, and other operas with much success. In another visit to Paris after this date he attempted to revive Italian opera in company with the brothers rti. but without success. His fine voice, and talent as an actor, caused him to be chosen by Verdi to create the rrdes of lago in Otrllo andFalstaff in l-'alstaff. In 1885 he began an extended tour, appearing in Italy. Xorth and .South .merica. and in 1803 and 1894 sang Verdi's famous roles in Paris at the express de- sire of the composer. In 1808 he appeared at the Berlin Opera House. His best-known writ- ings are L'art du chant and Oix atis de carriire.

MATJRENBRECHER, niou'rrn-brc'K-cr. WiL- IIEI.M ( 18.iS!i2 I . A (ii-rman historian, born in Bonn. He studied there, in Berlin, and in Munich, his great teachers l)eing Ranke and Von Sybel, with whom he was associated on his Tlis- torisrhe Zeitsrhriff. At Bonn he became docent in 1862. He spent a year at Simanca. Spain, in historical research, and after his return to Oer- many was appointed professor at Dorpat (1867). at Konigsberg (1860). at Bonn (1877), and at Tx-ipzig (1884). From 1881 to 1802 he edited the flistnrischcs Tasrhenhurh. He wrote England im Reformationszeitaltrr (1866): Stu- dien und Ski:zen zur Cleschichle drr Rrforma- linnszeit (1874); Die Katholische Reformation (1880) ; Gesrhichtr drr deulsehrn Kiinigsir^ihlen rom 10. his /.?. .Jnhrhiindert (1880) ; and Clriind- vng den drutsrhen Rridix (1S02). Consult Wolf, ir. Mnurrnhrrrhrr (Berlin, 1803).

MAUREPAS. mA'rrpft'. .Tean- FBf;n*Hic Pllf:i.lPPF.MX. Count (1701-81). Minister of State in the reigns of l.ouis XV. and XVI. of France. He was born .July 0. 1701. at Versailles. The office of ^linister of State had been held by his father, who on resigning in 1715 was able to transfer it to his son. It fell to JIaurepas at the age of fourteen, but was administered dur- ing his minority by the Marquis de illiere, his future father-in-law. Maurepas became Minister of Marine in 1725, and Secretary of State in 1738. He made some attempts toward restoring the eflicieucy of the navy by establishing naval academics and introducing scientitic methods of instruction. A satirical couplet against Madame de Pompadour brought about his disgrace in 1740, and he was e.xiled from Court until the death of Louis X^. When Louis XVI. came to the throne in 1774, Maurepas was recalled. With- out striking ability of his own, he displayed great wisdom in the selection of the meml)ers of his council. Vcrgennes being made Minister for Foreign Affairs. Turgot Comptroller-General, and Malesherbes Minister of the Koyal House- hold. He supported 'crgennes in the alliance with the United States and in the declaration of war against England. He belonged in spirit nevertheless to the old regime, and in alarm at Turgot's wide-reaching plans of reform brought about that Minister's downfall in 1776, his place being taken by Xccker, who in turn was dis- missed in Jlay, 1781. He held his place as chief Minister of the Crown until his death, whicti tiKik place at Versailles, November 21, 1781. Memoirs ' of a curious nature were published under his name (4 vols., Paris. 1700-02). but were really largely the work of his secretarj'. The Bib- Uotht'ijue yatioiiale. however, contains a volu- minous collection of French elian.mns made by him.

'''MAURER, mou'rcr. Georg Lidwio von ( 17',i(l 1S72 I. A (icrman statesman and jurist, born near Diirkheim in Bavaria. He was educated at llciilelberg, and studied jurisprudence in Paris. In 1826 his flrschiehte des altgcrinanisrhrn Oe- riehlsicrfitlircns was crowned by the .cademy of ^lunich. and lie was appointed professor of juris- prudence in the university. From 1832 to 18.34, during the minority of King Otho. he was a member of the Council of Regency at Athens, where his energj- and ability accomplished a com- plete reorganization of civil i)roce(lure. In 1847 he was Bavarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and .Tusticc. The most valuable, perhaps, of his va- rious works on history and jurisprudence are: Das griechische Yolk ror und nach dem Freiheits- kamjife (1836) and Ocsehirhte der Dorfverfas- sung in Drutschland (1865-66).

MAURER. (1823-1002). A German jurist, son of the preceding. He was born at Frankenthal, Bavaria. stidicd at Munich, Leipzig, and lierlin. and in 1847 was apjioint- ed professor of jurisprudence at Municli. He made an especial study of Icelandic language, literature, and history. In connection with these subjects, he published: Die Entstehung drs is- Uindisehen Staatcs und .ici iter Verfassung ( 1852) ; Die Uckehrung des nonregischen Slammes zum Christentum (1855-56) : Island von seiner er.<!trn Entdeckung his zum Vntrrgang r/#s Frr istaatt a (1874): Zur politisrhrn Clesehichle Islands (18801. He also edited riull-Thorls-Saga (18.58), and a collection of legends entitled Isliindischc Volks.<tagrn der Cirgrnivart (1860).

MAU'RETA'NIA (Lat.. Ok. Mo.yinrn/o. Mnurousia. froni ftninnr, mnur'is. black). The ancient name of the most northwestern part of Africa. It was so called from the Mauri or