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. Konrad von (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
