Pascal

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

BLAISE, a French author; born in Clermont, Auvergne, France, in 1623. His family was one of considerable distinction, his grandfather having been a treasurer of France at Riom, and his father president of the Court of Aids, in Auvergne. gne. From his earliest childhood he exhibited precocious proofs of genius, especially in mathematics. At 12 years of age he was surprised by his father in the act of demonstrating, on BLAISE PASCAL the pavement by means of a rude diagram traced with a piece of coal, a proposition which corresponded to the 32d of the first book of Euclid. At the age of 16 he composed a small treatise on conic sections, which excited the admiration of Throop Polytechnic Institute, high school, Descartes. At 19 he invented his celebrated arithmetical machine, and at 26 he had composed the greater part of his mathematical works, and made those brilliant experiments in hydrostatics and pneumatics, which have ranked him among the first natural philosophers of his age. But a strong religious impulse having been imparted to his mind at this period, he thenceforward devoted himself to theology and polemics, and to the promotion of the spiritual and temporal welfare of his fellow men. He retired to Port Royal in 1654, where he spent the remainder of his days. The two works by which he is best known are his "Provincial Letters"; a caustic satire upon the Jesuits (1656), under the name Louis de Montalte, and posthumous "Pensées," regarded as among the richest repositories of eloquent thought and profound theology. He died in 1662. PASCHAL I., Pope, was a Roman and succeeded Stephen V. in 817. He crowned Lothaire, the emperor at Rome. He died in 824. PASCHAL II., Pope; a native of Tuscany, succeeded Urban II. in 1099. He had a contest with the Emperor Henry IV., and also with Henry I., King of England, respecting the right of investitures. The former visited Rome, to be crowned by the Pope, who refused to perform the ceremony unless he yielded the matter in dispute. Henry caused Paschal to be seized by his troops. The Romans rose in behalf of their pontiff, and Henry retired from Rome, but carried the Pope with him. Pasch Paschal, after a captivity of two months, conceded his claim to the investitures. This concession was afterward canceled. He died in 1118. PASCHAL III., became Pope in opposition to Alexander III. in 1164, through the influence of the Emperor Frederick I. He remained in possession of the papal chair while Alexander was absent at Benevento. He died in 1168. CERRO DE PASCO PASCO, or (JUNIN), a town of Peru, capital of the province of its own name, department of Junin, about 130 miles N. E. of Lima. It is situated 11,000 feet above sea-level. Its former importance was due to the rich silver mines in the vicinity. Pop. about 400,000.