The New International Encyclopædia/Grousset, Paschal

GROUSSET, gro͞o′sā̇′, Paschal (1844—). A French politician and author, born at Corte in Corsica. He studied medicine in Paris, but immediately took up journalism, wrote scientific articles for L'Etendard and Le Figaro under the name ‘Docteur Blasius,’ and began to write fiction luider the pseudonym ‘Léopold Virey.’ He joined Henri de Rochefort in the management of La Marseillaise in 1869, and in January, 1870, quarreled with Prince Pierre Bonaparte and sent two seconds to answer his challenge. One of these, Victor Noir, was killed by the Prince. This deepened Grousset's opposition to the Empire, and he attacked it bitterly in La Marseillaise, and was condemned to heavy fines and repeated imprisonments. He took part in the insurrection of March, 1871, was elected a member of the Comumne, and took charge of foreign affairs; but on his attempt to leave Paris in June was arrested and deported to New Caledonia. He escaped with Rochefort and others (1874), went to England, acted as London correspondent of Le Temps, under the name ‘Philippe Daryl,’ and returned to Paris in 1881. Defeated in the elections of that year, he was chosen Deputy in 1893 and reëlected in 1898. His works include: The political sketches, Le bilan de l'année 1868 (1869), La conspiration du général Malet (1869), and Les origines d'une dynastie, le coup d'état de Brumaire an VIII. (1869), as well as the autobiographic Les condamnés politiques en Nouvelle Caledonie (with Jourde, 1876); notes of travel and life abroad, La vie partout (1884-88); Scènes de la vie de collège dans tous les pays (1881-91); translations of Stevenson's Treasure Island and of Mayne Reid's novels; and L'héritier de Robinson (1884); L'épave du Cynthia (with Jules Verne, 1885); Le capitaine Trafalgar (1886); Le secret du mage (1890); and Atlantis (1896). ‘Tiburce Moray’ is another of Grousset's pseudonyms.