Born in 1823, died in 1892; a teacher and a student of
comparative philology; began to publish in 1850 books which
attracted attention for their excellence of style; traveled
in the East in 1861; called to the chair of history in the
College of France, but forced to resign because he denied
the divinity of Christ; published his "Life of Jesus" in
1863, "The Apostles," in 1866, "St. Paul" in 1867, "L'Anté
Christ" in 1873, "The Christian Church" in 1879, "Marcus
Aurelius" in 1880, and "History of the People of Israel" in
1887-94; elected to the French Academy in 1878.