Victor Euphemion Philarctc Chasles, a French author, cousin of the preceding, born at Main-villiers, near Chartres, Oct. 8,1708, died in Venice, Aug. 3, 1873. In 1815, while a printer's apprentice, he was arrested on charge of entering into a political conspiracy. Having been released through the influence of Chateaubriand, he went to London, and entered the employment of Valpy, the classical publisher, and during seven years acquired great familiarity with English literature, and afterward on the continent with that of Germany. Later he visited other parts of Europe and the United States. Having returned to Paris in 1823, his contributions to periodicals and the Journal des Debats gave him the reputation of an accomplished literary critic. In 1827 ho shared with Saint-Marc Girardin an academical prize for his essay on French language and literature in the 16th century. In 1837 he was appointed director of the Mazarin library, and in 1841 professor of the Germanic languages and literature in the college de France. In 1870 he returned to this chair, after having filled for some time that of the languages and literature of southern Europe, during the exile of the regular incumbent, Edgar Quinet. His Etudes de litterature comparer treats, in about 20 separate volumes (1847-64), of the literature of antiquity, of the middle ages, of Spain and Italy, of the English revolution, of the literature and civilization of England, of the United States, etc.

He wrote books of travels and tales; prepared editions of the classics and of Moliere; and made a number of translations from English and German.