Nicolas Bergasse
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 during its early Monarchiens phase. 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. In 1781, he became a disciple of Franz Mesmer, and published in 1784 a systemization of Mesmerism titled Considérations sur le magnetisme animal. In the Kornmann case, his quarrel with Beaumarchais made him a famous personality. In 1789, he was elected Deputy of the Estates-General and become an important face of the Monarchiens 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 on the organization of justice. He survived the Reign of Terror, but stopped active policy. During the Bourbon Restoration, 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. Publications about the Animal Magnetism of Franz Mesmer: 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.
