Nicolas Bergasse (born 24 January 1750 in Lyon – died 28 May 1832 in Paris) was a French lawyer, philosopher, and politician, whose activity was mainly carried out during the beginning of the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
during its early
Monarchiens
The Friends of the Monarchist Constitution (french: Amis de la Constitution Monarchique), commonly known as the Monarchist Club (french: Club monarchique) or the Monarchiens, were one of the revolutionary factions in the earliest stages of the Fr ...
phase.
Life
After studying philosophy and law, Bergasse became a lawyer at the Parlement of Paris. He was very interested in the
Enlightenment and in particular meeting
Sieyès and
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
. In 1781, he became a disciple of
Franz Mesmer
Franz Anton Mesmer (; ; 23 May 1734 – 5 March 1815) was a German physician with an interest in astronomy. He theorised the existence of a natural energy transference occurring between all animated and inanimate objects; this he called " ani ...
, and published in 1784 a systemization of Mesmerism titled ''Considérations sur le magnetisme animal''. In the
Kornmann case, his quarrel with
Beaumarchais
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...
made him a famous personality.
In 1789, he was elected Deputy of the Estates-General and become an important face of the
Monarchiens
The Friends of the Monarchist Constitution (french: Amis de la Constitution Monarchique), commonly known as the Monarchist Club (french: Club monarchique) or the Monarchiens, were one of the revolutionary factions in the earliest stages of the Fr ...
Party. During the French Revolution, he created a particular political and constitutional thought inspired by the British and American models and develops a theory of the sovereignty of universal reason. He delivered an important report to the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...
on the organization of justice. He survived the
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...
, but stopped active policy.
During the
Bourbon Restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to:
France under the House of Bourbon:
* Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815)
Spain under the Spanish Bourbons:
* ...
, he published ''Essay on the law ''and ''Essay on the Property'', as a result of which he ran into problems with the authorities. He died in Paris in 1832, aged 82.
Works
Publications about the
Animal Magnetism
Animal magnetism, also known as mesmerism, was a protoscientific theory developed by German doctor Franz Mesmer in the 18th century in relation to what he claimed to be an invisible natural force (''Lebensmagnetismus'') possessed by all livi ...
of
Franz Mesmer
Franz Anton Mesmer (; ; 23 May 1734 – 5 March 1815) was a German physician with an interest in astronomy. He theorised the existence of a natural energy transference occurring between all animated and inanimate objects; this he called " ani ...
:
* ''Considérations sur le Magnétisme animal'' - 1784
* ''Théorie du Monde suivant les principes de Mesmer''
Publications about the Kornmann case (1786-1789):
* ''Mémoire sur une question d'adultère, de séduction et de diffamation, pour le sieur Kornmann contre la dame Kornmann, son épouse, le sieur Daudet de Jossan, le sieur Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais et M. Le Noir, Conseiller d’État, ancien lieutenant de Police suivi de Pièces Justificatives'' – 1787
* ''Observations de M. Kornmann sur un écrit de M. de Beaumarchais'' – 1787
* ''Note de M. Kornmann relative à son procès contre Beaumarchais – 1787
* ''Observations du sieur Kornmann en réponse au mémoire de M. Lenoir – 1787
* ''Nouvelles Observations pour le sieur Kornmann contre M. Lenoir'' – 1787
* ''Observations du Sieur Kornmann sur une lettre du Sieur Daudet, à l'imprimeur Muller'' – 1787
* ''Mémoire du sieur Kornmann en réponse au mémoire du sieur de Beaumarchais'' – 1787
* ''Observation du Sieur Kornmann sur un Ecrit signé Séguin et Dubois (suivi de Réponses des Propriétaires Associés dans l’acquisition des Quinze-Vingts aux Réflexions du Sieur Kornmann)'' – 1787
* ''Discours sur l’humanité des juges dans l’administration de la justice criminelle'' – 1787.
* ''Réflexions préliminaires dans la cause du sieur Bergasse avec le prince de Nassau'' – 1788
* ''Observations du sieur Bergasse, sur l'écrit du sieur de Beaumarchais, ayant pour titre : « Court mémoire, en attendant l'autre », dans la cause du sieur Kornmann'' – 1788
* ''Précis pour le sieur Kornmann contre le sieur Le Page, docteur en médecine'' – 1788
* ''Considérations sur la liberté du commerce. Ouvrage où l'on examine s'il est avantageux ou nuisible au Commerce que le transport des denrées et des Marchandises soit réduit en un privilège exclusif'', Londres, 1788.
* ''Observations du sieur Bergasse, dans la cause du sieur Kornmann'' – 1789
* ''Plaidoyer prononcé à la Tournelle-criminelle, le jeudi 19 mars 1789, par le sieur Bergasse, dans la cause du sieur Kornmann''– 1789
Publications during the French Revolution and the Bourbon Restoration:
* many ''Discours'' and ''Rapports'' pronounced in the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...
;
* ''Protestation contre les Assignats-Monnoie'' (1790)
* ''Essai sur la loi, la souveraineté et la liberté de la presse'' (1817)
* ''Essai sur la propriété'' (1821)
Bibliography
* Thérence Carvalho, « Nicolas Bergasse et la souveraineté de la raison universelle », ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History of Ideas'', 2013, vol. 2, n° 1, pp. 1–23 (http://www.ojs.unito.it/index.php/jihi/issue/current/showToc).
* Robert Darnton, ''Mesmerism and the End of the Enlightenment in France'', Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1995.
* Jean-Denis Bergasse, ''D’un rêve de réformation à une considération européenne : MM. les députés Bergasse (XVIIIe – XIXe siècles)'', édité par l’auteur, 1990.
* Louis Bergasse, ''Un philosophe lyonnais : Nicolas Bergasse, Essai de philosophie chrétienne sous le premier empire'', Librairie philosophique J. Vrin, Paris, 1938.
* Louis Bergasse, ''Un défenseur des principes traditionnels sous la révolution : Nicolas Bergasse, avocat au parlement de paris, député du tiers état de la sénéchaussée Lyon 1750-1832'', Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1910.
* René Martineau, ''Un avocat du temps jadis, Nicolas Bergasse'', Ducourtieux et Gout, Limoges, 1907.
* Léopold de Gaillard, ''Autres temps : Nicolas Bergasse, député de Lyon à l’Assemblée constituante ; deux enclaves de l’ancienne France : Orange et Avignon'', Librairie Plon, Paris, 1893.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergasse, Nicolas
1750 births
1832 deaths
Politicians from Lyon
Monarchiens
Members of the National Constituent Assembly (France)
Lawyers from Lyon