DEGERANDO, Jos. MARIE, Baron, author and philanthropist, was b. 29th Feb., 1772, at Lyons, France. His family was originally from Italy. He studied at the col lege of the Oratoire of Lyons, with a view to becoming a priest; but the persecutions of the revolutionists altered his plans. In 1797, he went to Paris. The coup d'itat of the 18th Fructidor compelled hint to flee to Germany, where he entered the army of Massena as a common soldier. While at Colmar with his regiment, D. wrote a treatise, which was "crowned " by the academy, and which was afterwards enlarged and published under the title of Des Signes et de l'Art de penser, consideres dans leurs Rapports Mutuels (Par. 1800). In 1802, appeared his De la Generation des Connaissances Hunzaines, a pre cursor of his Ilistoire comparee des Systemes de Philosophic rekttirement aux Principes des Connaissances Ihtmaines (Par. 1803; German, by Tennemann), which is reckoned the best French work on the history of philosophy. It procured him, in the following year, admission into the academic des inscriptions et des belles-lettres. About the same time,
lie was appointed secretary-general to the ministry of the interior, and subsequently held a variety of high offices under Napoleon. But D. is even better known, and has done more service, by his philanthropic than his philosophic writings. To the former class belong his excellent work, Le Visiteur du Paurre (Par. 1820), which obtained the Mon tyon prize, as did also his Du Perfectionnement llaral, etc. (Par. 1824); his Cours Xormal des Instituteurs Primaires (Par. 1832); Institutions du Drat Administratif (Par. 1835); Education des Sourds-muets de Naissunee (Par. 1827); Des Progris de l'Industrie (1841). D. was elevated to the peerage in 1837, and died 12th Nov., 1842, vice-president of time council of state.—His son, A. DEGERANDO, has written two interesting works—Essat Historique sue l'Origine des IIongrois (Par. 1841); and •an,sylranie et ses habitants (Par. 1815).