Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Lamennais, Robert de" to "Latini, Brunetto" / Volume 16, Slice 2

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

41773

Title

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Lamennais, Robert de" to "Latini, Brunetto" / Volume 16, Slice 2

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume presents encyclopedic entries on figures from Lamennais to Latini, spanning French theology, Italian scholarship, and global geography. With authoritative historical analysis and concise definitions, it offers a rich resource for understanding 18th- and 19th-century intellectual and political movements.

Summary up to 500 words

Volume 16, Slice 2 of the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica presents a rich tapestry of 19th-century knowledge, anchored by extensive biographical entries on Hugues Félicité Robert de Lamennais and Brunetto Latini, alongside diverse geographical and scientific data. The volume opens with a detailed portrait of Lamennais (1782–1854), a French priest whose intellectual journey transformed him from a rationalist influenced by Rousseau into a fervent ultramontane Catholic. His seminal work, *Essai sur l'indifférence en matière de religion*, challenged the right of private judgment, arguing that ecclesiastical authority was essential for European regeneration. Lamennais's career culminated in the founding of the journal *L'Avenir* in 1830, which advocated for a theocratic democracy and universal religious freedom. However, his bold stance against Gallican liberties and the conservative bishops led to his eventual estrangement from the Church. His later masterpiece, *Paroles d'un croyant*, marked his severance from institutional religion, earning him the title of an apostle to the people alone. The entry on Brunetto Latini (c. 1210–c. 1294) highlights his dual legacy as a Florentine philosopher and Dante's mentor. A Guelph politician and rhetorician, Latini spent years in France before returning to Tuscany. His French prose work, *Trésor*, served as a comprehensive encyclopedia of medieval knowledge, while his Italian poem, *Tesoretto*, stands as the earliest example of didactic verse in the language. The volume further broadens its scope with entries on natural history, such as the lapwing, detailing its adaptability and distinctive plumage, and legal definitions like 'lapse' in ecclesiastical and testamentary contexts. Geographical entries describe locations ranging from La Porte, Indiana, to the island of Lappa near Macao. Scientific contributions are represented by geologist Albert Auguste Cochon de Lapparent, whose work defined stratigraphical geology, and historian Johann Martin Lappenberg, whose research on Hamburg and English history remains authoritative. Additionally, the text profiles French poet Victor de Laprade and English reformer Hugh Latimer, whose sermons were pivotal in the English Reformation. By blending deep historical narratives with practical encyclopedic facts, this volume reflects the mid-19th century's commitment to a comprehensive repository of arts, sciences, and general information.

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Categories

• Encyclopedias and dictionaries