It was not long before Lamennais rallied his force and his followers and began to direct his energy toward the championship of the rights of the people alone. In support of "la liberte et la humaniteD he wrote 'Les Affaires de Rome' (1836) ; 'Le Livre du peuplel (1837) ; and Pays et le gouvernement' (1840), for which he was imprisoned for a year at Sainte-Pelagie, where he wrote gine Voix de prison.' This was followed in 1843 by 'Amschaspands et Darvands,' 'Lc Deuil de la Pologue' (1846), and numerous other pamphlets and treatises. In 1840 he collected the articles which had appeared in L'Avenir and published also a remarkable work in three volumes, 'Esquisse de philosophic' The third volume entitled 'De I'Art et du beau' still remains one of the finest of discussions on esthetics. He was recognized as one of the leaders of the Liberal Democratic party, and in defense and support of the Revolution of 1848 published Li people constituant, which, like a later publication, La Revolution democratique et soctale, was forced to an early death through lack of financial means. He was chosen a
member of the Constituent Assembly where he sat with the Extreme Left. His last years were occupied with the translation of Dante's 'Divina Commedia.' He refused to accept a church burial, and was interred without any religious ceremony.
Several volumes of posthumous works and letters have been published by Forgues (1858); H. de Courcy (1862); A. Blaize (1866) • by A. du Bois de la Villerabel (1866) ; and M. A. Rousel (1892). Incomplete collections of his works have been made, one in 10 volumes (Paris 1836-37) ; and another in 10 volumes (Paris 1844). Consult also Blaize, A., biographique sur M. de Lamermais' (1858) ; Brunetiere, F., 'Nouveaux essais sur la lit terature contemporain0 (1893) ; Janet, Paul, (La philosophic de Lamennais' (1890) ; Renan, E., 'Essais de morale et de critique' (1857); and Sainte-Beuve, 'Portraits Contemporains' (1832) and 'Nouveaux Lundis.'