BARTHELEMY-SAINT-HILAIRE, Jules. — Philosopher and statesman, born in Paris on 19 August 1805, died there on 24 November 1895. He was a conformist in politics and collaborated with Cousin, the minister of education (1840). After an absence of about twenty years, during which he devoted himself to studies and made a journey to Egypt, he returned to political life at the time of the Second Empire (1869). He was chief of staff to President Thiers and, after Thiers fell, adhered to the Republic. Under the republican regime he became a senator, vice-president of the Senate, and finally minister of foreign affairs in Ferry’s cabinet. As a philosopher he belonged to Cousin’s eclectic school and was a rationalist.
He translated and commented on almost all of Aristotle (Oeuvres d'Aristote traduites en français, Paris 1837–92), provoking some controversy over the accuracy of his translations, which were dubbed “des belles infidèles.” He also produced various studies on Eastern religions, such as Du Bouddhisme (Paris 1855), Le Bouddha et sa religion (Paris 1859), Mahomet et le Coran (Paris 1865), and a three-volume life of Cousin (Paris 1895).