The Indianapolis journal., 1894-01-08

popular Biographies would probaly never
have been written, for Reclus had been
New Caledonia, and he would have never
been able TO collect his material and write
his book in that far-off Pacific island.
Reclus is a Socialist in politics. He does
not approve of the principles that underie
the european governments. he wlelds a
strong pen. and many European politicians
have not regarded him with a friendly eye.
lie laid down the pen and took up the
sword in 1871 during the exciting days OF
the Commune in Paris. and the army OF
Versailles captured him with his weapon
In his hand The learned geOgrapher was
condemned to deportation for life, and in
prison he was awaiting his transfer TO a
convict ship.
Elisee was then forty-one years old. and
was already celebrated as a geographical
authority. The hopes of his life, all the
brilliant promise of his literary career:
seemed in a moment blasted. The news OF
his great misfortune shocked the scientific
men of ali nations. In England they were
prompt to act and a petition, signed by
all the scientific men OF eminence IN the
country. was addressed TO Theirs:
The petitioners said that the life of such
man as Elisee Reclus, who had already
rendered brilliant services to science and
literature, gave promise of still greater
services in his vigorous maturity. They eX-
pressed the view that such a man belonged
not only to the country that gave him
birth. but to the entire world, and that iii
reducing him 10 silence and sending him
to languiSh far from the center of ciViliZa-
ton France would cripple his talents and
lessen his legitimate influence upon the
world.
The appeal was heard and the penalty
of deportation was commuted to a sentence
of perpetual Punishment from France.
From that time until recently he never
set foot upon his native soil, though the
greatest work of his life has been brought
Switzerland that he labored for seventeen
years on his New Universal Geography"
and the former political convict has pro-
duced on an average a volume year, each
book as large as a volume Of the New
American Cyclopaedia."
Paul Reclus was born in 1s47. He is a
physician, who studied at NiSmes and grad
uated at Paris in 1876. He became surgeon
in several hospitals, and in the convention
of 1880 was ranked as among the most bril-
liant. He is a professor in the faculty of
medicine. He chose his profession in order
to alleviate the sufferings of humanity
and for no other reason. Skilled as he is in
the use OF the scalpel, with a hand true and
firm, yet he has horror of the sight of
blood, and after an operation suffers all
the pain of the patient. He is brilliant
cOnVerSationaliSt, and always aff1rmS that
the ancient Egyptian surgeons We're more
expert than are those of our own age. Dur
ing the Franco-Prussian war Paul was a
rifieman. He has written several valuable
books on surgery.
born in 1927. He was educated among the
Moravan brothers at Neuwied-sur-l Rhin
and studied theology at Geneva, Montau-
bon and Strasburg He was exiled in 1851
returned to France four years later en-
tered the Credit Mobilier and busted himself
the Commune he was named director of the
National Library, and subsequently con-
demned for usurping the functions thereof
was sentenced to Imprisonment, but he
fled to Zurich and afterward went to Lon
don. VI. Ellie colaborated with his brother
EliSee in the introduction to the Dictionary
of the CommuneS of France" and under
an assumed name has published articles in
many newspapers and foreign reviews
Onesme Recus was born in 1887. After
studying in Germany he served in Algeria
in the zOuaves. Then he visited besides
Africa, many European countries. He has
published several works, chief among which
is La Terre vol dOiseau," one OF the
most brilliant descriptive works in the
French language. His benevolence is not
a matter of theory, but practice. One day
he gave 1850 francs every sou he possessed
in the world to relieve the embarrassment
of comrade.
Armand Reclus was born in 1Si3 He en-
tered the navy in 1860 and was promoted to
the rank of lieutenant in 1871. He was made
ordnance officer under Nj. Jaureguiberry
and has been associated with Bonaparte
Wyse in the Panama iSthmus explorations
He is also the author of several technical
works. He received the decoration of the
Legion OF Honor for his courage in the
Franco-Gernan war in going among the
enemy to obtain information.
Three of the sisters are distinguished as
linguists. Under noms de plume they have
made translationS of romanceS, travels and
books of science from German or English
into French.