GIIIZOT, FuANcots PIERRE GUILLAUME, a French statesman and historian, was b. at Nimes, Oct. 4, 17S7. His parents were Protestants; his father, who was an advocate, perished on the scaffold, April 8, 1794, and his mother soon afterwards went, with her two sons, to Geneva, where Guizot received his education. In 1805 he went to Paris, and devoted himself to literature. His first work, the Nouveau Dictioiznaire Unirerscl des Syaoaymcs de in Langue .Francais4.3 (2 vols.; 4th ed. Paris, 1848), appeared in 1809; the introduction reveals a very methodical mind. The next seven years were spent in labor ious literary activity. After the second restoration, he became general secretary to the ministry of the interior, afterwards to the ministry of justice. On the retirement of Barbe-Marbois, Guizot tendered his resignation, and was first appointed maitre des requetes, afterwards councilor of state. Guizot contributed to the dissolution of the Chambre Introuvable, by writing a memorial which was placed in the hands of Louis WM. by Decazes. The latter committed to him the general direction of the adminis •ration of the communes and departeinents (1819). His writings from 1320 to 1822 are entitled Du Gouvernement de la France depuisla Restauration et du Mini stere A civet (1821), Ilistorie des Origines du Gouvernement Representatif; containing his lectuies at the Sor bonne (where he held the position of lecturer on history) of 1820-1822 (new ed. 1852). Government forbade his lectures in 1824, and Guizot again betook himself to literature. In conjunction with several other men of letters, he published the important Collection des Memories Relatifs a l'historie de France, depuis la Fondation de in Monarchie jusqu'au 13• Slade (31 Paris, and the Collection des Memoires Relatifs it l'historie de la Revolution d" Angleterre (26 vols., Paris, 1823). He likewise edited several works of other authors, with introductions, annotations, and additions, such as Letour neur's translation of Shakespeare (12 vols., Paris 1821), Hallam's history of England, and Mably's Observations sur l'Historie de France, followed by the Essais sur l' historic de France. In addition to all these, he published his Historic de la Revolution d' Angleterre (2 vols., Paris, 1826; 4th ed. 1845), and edited the Evcydopedie Progressive, and the Revue Francaise. In the following year the Martignac ministry granted him permission to resume his course of lectures on history. These were attended by a large and enthusi astic audience, and gave rise to several historical works of great value, published under the collective title of Coups d' Eistorie ffoderne (1828-1890); among others, the historic de In Civilisation, en France depuis In Chute de l' Empire Romain jusqu'd la Revoluthm Fran raise (5 vols., Paris, 1828-1830; 5th ed. 1845), and the histoire Generale de in Civilisation en Europe, etc., which serves as an introduction to the former work. On Mar. 1, 1829, he again took his place in the council of state, and in Jan., 1830, was elected by the town of Lisieux, which he continued to represent in the chamber.
After the July revolution, Guizot became successively minister of public instruction and minister of the interior, an office which he held, with two intemiptions, till 1836. Iu this capacity he did much for the improvement of educational institutions, particu larly the primary schools. On the breaking out of the eastern disturbances in the
'beginning of the year 1840, under Soult's administration, Guizot was sent as ambassador to London. After Soult's retirement, in Sept., 1847, he became the official leader of the cabinet, which maintained its ground, as the organ of Louis Philippe's polity, till the Feb. revolution of 1848, and by its conduct both in home and foreign affairs, did much to bring constitutional government into disrepute, and to hasten the overthrow of the Orleans monarchy. As a statesman, Guizot in carrying out his systematic and repressive line of policy, proved himself stiff, one-sided, and latterly obdurate; from these quali ties, as well as from his cold and disagreeable manner, he was always unpopular to the last degree with the nation. As a man of rectitude and austere morals, lie never enriched himself at the public cost; but neveri.heless, from political motives, lie allowed others to do so during his administration, in the most flagrant manner. After having effected his escape from Paris, he retired to London, where he was received with great respect. In April, 1849, he published a circular Guizot a ses Amis,in which he offered his services to the electors of France, but ineffectually. In the following Nov. he returned to Paris, where he continued to labor in conjunction with the heads of the monarchial parties. After a short visit to Louis Philippe in England in June 1850, he came forward in Paris as the main promoter of the fusion, and wrote likewise in the Assemblee Nationale. The coup l'etat of Dec. 2, 1851, put an end to this career; and Guizot returned to England. By founding the ComitisHkoriques, by bringing about the publication of important histori cal documents, and by his own writings and lectures, he did much to extend a taste for historical studies in France. In 1S37 he was intrusted by the government of the United States with the task of a history of Washington. His work, published under the title Vie, Correspondance, et Ecrits de Washington (2 vols., Paris, 1839-40), procured him the honor of having his portrait placed in the chamber of representatives at Wash ington. After the revolution Guizot published several political treatises, more or less important, some of which at least are very interesting to Englishmen, such as Revolution d' Angleterre, and Monk, Chute de in Republique. He likewise wrote Meditations et Etudes Xorales sur la. Re! igion, ,la Philosophic, etc. (1852); Corneille et son !l'emps (1852; Shakespeare et son Temps In 1858, appeared his Memories poui. Servir a l' Historic de man Temps. His publication in 1861, defending the temporal power of the pope, was a strange one for a Protestant. Among the most important of his later works are Medita tions mar l'Etat Actuel de la Religion, Chretienne (1865); Melanges Blographigues at Litteraires (1868); ..ifelanges Politigues at IIistorigaes (1869), etc. Guizot was thrice married; his first two wives were accomplished women, and not unknown in literature. He died Sept. 12, 1874. After his death was published l'ilistorie de Prance depuis les Temps les plus recules jusqu'en 1789; raeontee d sues Petits-Enfants.—His son, .ManiticE G'UILLAUME, has shown by his Menandre Elude Iiistorigue sur Oomedie at la Societe Grecgues (1855), that he is not destitute of his father's genius.