FONTANE, Marius Étienne. Marseille 4.9.1838 — Berck (Pas-de-Calais) ?.8.1914. French Literate. In the age of 17 he joined a commercial house, in whose service he had to travel much, also in Asia. He met Ferdinand de Lesseps and became his secretary and thus participated in the work both in Suez and in Panama (where he spent two years in prison). He was interested in history and literature and wrote himself a great number of books: novels, on political economy, travel books, history. His main work was the great Histoire universelle, planned in sixty volumes, of which only 14 came out in 1881-1910. Only the first two are mentioned here.

Publications: “Dieux védiques”, Nouv. revue Mai-Juin 1880, 136-1??; “Aryas et Dasyous. Les premiers temps de l’Inde védique”, Nouv. revue Nov.-Déc. 1880, 67-??; “Aryas et Iraniens”, Nouv. revue Juil-Août 1881, 294-??.

– Inde védique (de 1800 à 800 av. J.-C). 439 p. Histoire universelle. P. 1881; Les Iraniens. Zoroastre (de 2500 à 800 av. J.-C.). 447 p. Histoire universelle. P. 1881.

Sources: R. Fountès, D.B.F. 14, 1979, 322f.; works on India in Renou, Bibliographie védique; French Wikipédia with photo and a caricatute.