LOTI, lo'te, Pierre, pen-name of Louis MARIE JULIEN VIAUD, French author: b. Roche fort, 14 Jan. 1850. After a school education in his native town he entered the French navy in 1867, becoming midshipman in 1873, and resign ing in 1898 with the rank of lieutenant. He has seen, in the course of his calling or otherwise, a great part of the world, and descriptions of foreign scenery figure largely in his works. He served with distinction in the Tonkin campaign, but incurred official displeasure by describing the cruel proceedings of French soldiers at Hue in a series of letters to the Figaro in 1883. In 1887 he was honored by admission into the Legion of Honor, and in 1891 was elected a member of the Academy, Zola being a rival candidate on the occasion. He has published many stories, tales and sketches under the pseudonym "Pierre Loti," among them being 'Aziyade> (1879) ;
into English. His works are in general of an exotic character, dealing predominantly with the East, which he had studied during his naval service. (See THE ICELAND FISHERMAN). Consult Lemaitre, 'Contemporains> (Vol. III, 1888) •, Doumic,