Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/295

DU CHATELET the French travellers Serval and Griffon du Bellay, who, in charge of a government ex- pedition, explored the Ogobai river and the neighboring country in 1862. His statements concerning the Fan tribe were verified by the English traveller Burton. Du Chaillu, not- withstanding his vindication, determined to prosecute his expedition, for which he had made thorough preparation. He freighted a schooner with goods for presents to the na- tives, and sailed from England, Aug. 6, 1863. He reached the mouth of the Ogobai Oct. 10, and there met with a severe loss by the swamp- ing of the canoe containing his scientific and photographic apparatus. Obliged to send to England for a new supply, he occupied his time in hunting excursions, during which he again had an opportunity of studying the hab- its of the gorilla. In September, 1864, his in- struments having arrived, he set out for the interior, accompanied by ten Commi negroes. He revisited some of the scenes of his former explorations, took many accurate observations, and penetrated among tribes and through por- tions of country previously unknown. He was forced to return to the coast in September, 1865, in consequence of an unfortunate con- flict with the natives, in which he lost every- thing but his journals. These contained all of his astronomical observations, which verified his previous statements, and added much to the geographical knowledge of western Africa. He published an account of this expedition under the title " A Journey to Ashango Land " (8vo, London and New York, 1867). After spending some years in the United States, where he appeared as a public lecturer, he visit- ed Sweden, Norway, Lapland, and Finland in 1872-'3, returning to New York in December, 1873. Besides the above named works, Du Chaillu has written the following, intended for youth: "Stories of the Gorilla Country" (1868); "Wild Life under the Equator" (1869); "Lost in the Jungle" (1869; "My Apingi Kingdom" (1870); and "The Country of the Dwarfs " (1871). These narrate in detail incidents which had been more briefly men- tioned in his two previous books. DU CHATELET, Gabrielle Emilie le Tonnelier de Breteuil, marchioness, a French authoress, born in Paris, Dec. 17, 1706, died in Luneville, Aug. 10, 1749. She was married at an early age to the marquis du Chatelet-Lomont, and afterward divided her time between science and dissipation. Not even a love affair with the duke de Richelieu could withdraw her from her studies. In 1733 she became the mistress of Voltaire, and the next year removed with him to Monjeunear Autun, and afterward to the chateau of Cirey, in which the marquis du Chatelet also resided. Here they passed several years in unrestrained freedom, actively engaged in literary pursuits, especially in the study of Newton and Locke, and the marchio- ness composed her Dissertation sur la nature et la propagation du feu, Institutions de phy- 275 VOL. vi. 19 DUCHESNE DE GISORS 287 sique, a synopsis of Leibnitz's philosophy, and various other essays. During a stay at the court of Stanislas, the ex-king of Poland, at Luneville, she fell in love with the marquis de Saint-Lambert, by whom she had a daughter, and a few days after giving birth to this child she died in the palace of Luneville. Several of her works were published posthumously, including Principes mathematiques de la phi- losophic naturelle, a translation of Newton's Principia, with a commentary (1756) ; Doutes sur les religions revelees, adresses d Voltaire (8vo, 1792) ; and Lettres inedites a M. le comte tfArgental (12mo, 1806). 1)1 HIE, Jacob, an American clergyman, born in Philadelphia in 1739, died there in January, 1798. ^ He graduated at the college of Phila- delphia in 1757, and completed his education at Cambridge, England. In 1759 he was or- dained an assistant minister of Christ church in Philadelphia, of which in 1775 he became rector. By sermons delivered before congress and before the patriots of the army, he estab- lished his character both for eloquence and patriotism ; and being in 1776 chosen chaplain to congress, he gave his salary for the relief of the families of those who had fallen in bat- tle. But in 1777 he addressed a letter to Washington in which he pictured the hopeless- ness of resistance, and urged him to cease his desperate and ruinous efforts. Washington transmitted the letter to congress. Duche fled to England, and his estate was confiscated. He returned to America in 1790, but never re- gained influence or position. He published while in London two volumes of sermons, written in an easy and elegant style, which passed through several editions. DUCHESNE, Andre, a French historian, born in lie Bouchard, Touraine, in 1584, died in 1640. He was geographer and historiographer to the king. On his way from Paris to his country seat he was run over by a cart and killed. Besides his published works he left more than 100 volumes in manuscript. Among the most important of the former are Histories Normannorum Scriptores Antiqui (fol., Paris, 1619); Histories Francorum Scriptores (3 vols. fol., 1636-'41); and some genealogical histo- ries. His son FRANCOIS, born in Paris in 1616, was also historiographer to the king, and wrote a history of the popes (2 vols. fol., 1653). He died in 1693. DUCHESNE DE GISORS, Jean Baptiste Joseph, a French miniature and enamel painter, born in Gisors, Dec. 8, 1770, died there, March 25, 1856. He removed to Paris at an early age, and after the restoration of the Bourbons be- came court painter. His miniatures of Napo- leon I. and of the duchess de Berry are remark- able specimens of the art. He was much em- ployed by the royal families of England and Belgium, and between 1840 and 1848 was en- gaged in continuing the series of paintings on enamel in the Louvre commenced by Petitot. He also executed a series in enamel for Queen