BOURGET, Paul, French novelist: b. Amiens, 2 Sept. 1852. After a brilliant course at the Lyceum of Clermont-Ferrand, where his father was professor of mathematics, and the College of Sainte Barbe, he graduated with high honors in 1872. He began to write in 1873, but it was 10years before he found his true work, though he contributed, the while, numerous articles to the magazines and pub lished three volumes of striking verse, 'La Vie Inquiete) (1875) ; • 'Ede') (1878) • and 'Les Aveux' (1881). His (Essais) (1883) was the first indication of his strength. The second series, 'Nouveaux essais de psychologie con temporaine' (1886), was a singularly subtle and exceedingly searching inquiry into the causes of the pessimism then widely prevalent in France. Bourget's first novel, 'I-irreparable' (1884), was followed by 'Cruelle enigme' (1885) ;
knowledge of English and Latin life, and his travels in Spain and Morocco, gave him the material for