Cochin, Pierre-Suzanne-Augustin - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 1109

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

COCHIN, PIERRE-SUZANNE-AUGUSTIN. - French Catholic writer, born in Paris on 2 Dec. 1823, died at Versailles on 13 March 1872.

A scholar of economic and social problems, he conducted exhaustive investigations into the phenomenon of pauperism in England and the conditions of workers in France. In his political activity, he was mayor in 1853 of the Tenth Arrondissement of Paris. A friend and biographer of Montalembert, he maintained close and profound relations with Lacordaire. From 1864 he was a member of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques. His scholarly personality is particularly distinguished by his concern to reconcile economic liberalism with the principles of Christian ethics. He also wrote against Renan’s Vita di Gesù in 1863. It was by C.

that the two letters were drafted which Montalembert sent to Cavour bearing his signature; in the first of them the thesis of the « free Church in a free State » is formulated. With regard to the question of the Italian Risorgimento, C. attempted to reconcile his sympathies for Italy with the rights of the Holy See.

BIBL.: L. Lefebure, A. C. Son action sociale et religieuse, in Revue des Deux Mondes, 1903, pp. 274-310; G. Picot, Notice historique sur la vie et les travaux de M. A. C., in Stances et travaux de l'Académie des sciences morales et politiques, new series, 65 (1906, i), pp. 40-84; F. Laudet, A. C., in Revue hebdomadaire, 2nd year (1912, ii), pp. 171-97; H. Cochin, Un grand ami français des États-Unis d'Amérique: A. C., in Le Correspondant, new series, 232 (1917), pp. 630-59; C. Maréchal, Une doctrine de défense sociale. A. C., ibid., new series, 244 (1920), pp. 404-19; J. De Cognet, A. C. et les expériences chrétiennes, ibid., new series, 257 (1923), pp. 593-607; A. C. Ses lettres et sa vie. Avec introduction et notes par H. Cochin, 2 vols., Paris 1926.

His sons were: HENRY, born in Paris on 31 January 1854, died there on 9 Dec. 1926. He was a member of Parliament and a member of the Académie des Inscriptions.

His activity as a writer is noteworthy not only for his assiduous engagement with the classics of Italian literature, but also for the vigilant care with which he followed problems and questions concerning Catholic institutions. He wrote: Expulsion des Congrégations religieuses, récits et témoignages recueillis par M. M. Duparch et H. C. (Paris 1881); Discours sur l'Institut des Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes (Lille 1890); Boccace. Études italiennes (Paris 1890); S. François d'Assise d'après son dernier historien (there 1895); Chronologie du « Cauvinière » de Pétrarque (there 1897); Le bienheureux fra Angelico (there 1906); Dante, Vita Nuova, translation (there 1908); Jubilés d'Italie (there 1911).

BIBL.: H. Bédarida, Italianisti stranieri: H. C., in Leonardo, 3 (1927), pp. 311-13; P. Hazard, Le souvenir d'H. C., in Revue des deux mondes, 38 (1927), pp. 202-205.

DENYS, born in Paris on 1 Sept. 1851, died there on 24 March 1922. A member of Parliament on several occasions, he fought against the anticlericalism of the Combes ministry; an active diplomat, he took part in the negotiations between the French State and the Holy See. He was a member of the Académie from 1911. A scholar of philosophical problems, he adhered to an orthodox rationalism, directed polemically against Bergson.

He wrote: Les écoles chrétiennes devant l'intolérance laïque (Paris 1879); Mémoire adressée à M. Poubelle, préfet de la Seine, au sujet de la laïciation de l'hôpital C. (there 1885); L'évolution et la vie (there 1886); Le monde extérieur (there 1895); L'esprit nouveau (there 1900); Contre les barbares (there 1905); Ententes et ruptures (there 1905); Descartes (there 1913)

BIBL.: L. Dufougeray, Le monde extérieur (de M. D. C.), in Le Correspondant, new series, 144 (1895), pp. 165-69; V. Boucaille, D. C., in Le Correspondant, new series, 252 (1922), pp. 15-32. Romano Romani