Droz, Francois Xavier Joseph

Droz, Francois Xavier Joseph, a French writer on philosophical and religious subjects, was born at Besanaon October 31, 1773. After serving for three years in the army of the French republic, he was for some years teacher at the central school of the department Doubs. In 1803 he went to Paris where he devoted his whole time to literary studies. He became first lnown by his work Essai sur l 'art d'etre heureux (Par. 1806). In 1823 he wrote the work De la Philosophie morale, ou des dsiferents Systemes sur la science de la vie (Sd ed. Par. 1843), which obtained the Monthyon prize, and opened to the author the way into the French Academy, of which he became a member in 1824. His most important work is a Histoire du regne de Louis XVI (Par. 1838-42, 3 volumes), on which he worked thirty years. Being in his earlier years a sensualist and Epicurean, Droz in the latter part of his life became an outspoken Roman Catholic. He then wrote Pensees sur le Christianisme (Paris, 1842; 6th edit. 1844). He died November 5, 1850. — Brockhaus, Convers. — Lex. s.v.