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Nerval, Gérard de

(Encyclopedia)Nerval, Gérard de zhārärˈ də nĕrvälˈ [key], 1808–55, French writer, an early romantic. His real name was Gérard Labrunie. His writings include translations of Faust (1828) and other German ...

Maistre, Joseph de

(Encyclopedia)Maistre, Joseph de zhôzĕfˈ də mĕsˈtrə [key], 1753–1821, French writer and diplomat. Born in Savoy, he was Sardinian ambassador at St. Petersburg from 1803 to 1817. A passionate Roman Catholic...

Maistre, Xavier de

(Encyclopedia)Maistre, Xavier de də mĕsˈtrə [key], 1763–1852, French writer, b. Savoy; brother of Joseph de Maistre. He served in the Russian army and lived most of his life in St. Petersburg. His works are ...

Malherbe, François de

(Encyclopedia)Malherbe, François de fräNswäˈ də mälĕrbˈ [key], 1555–1628, French poet and critic, official poet of Henry IV and Louis XIII. His own poems approach technical perfection but lack verve and f...

lettre de cachet

(Encyclopedia)lettre de cachet lĕˈtrə də käshāˈ [key], formerly in French law, private, sealed document, issued as a communication from the king. Such a letter could order imprisonment or exile for an indivi...

Machaut, Guillaume de

(Encyclopedia)Machaut, Guillaume de gēyōmˈ də mäshōˈ [key], c.1300–1377, French poet and composer. Variants of his name include Machault, de Machaudio, and de Mascaudio. He studied theology and took holy o...

Madariaga, Salvador de

(Encyclopedia)Madariaga, Salvador de (Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo) sälväᵺōrˈ dā mäᵺäryäˈgä ē rōˈhō [key], 1886–1978, Spanish author and diplomat. In 1922 Madariaga became head of the disarmamen...

Madre de Dios

(Encyclopedia)Madre de Dios mädˈrā ᵺā dyōs [key], river, c.700 mi (1,130 km) long, rising in the Andes of SE Peru and flowing NE through NW Bolivia to the Beni River. It is a major artery of NW Bolivia, but ...

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