died at Cannes on the 6th of December 1882,
and on the 12th of December received a state funeral in the cemetery of
Pere-Lachaise.

Louis Blanc possessed a picturesque and vivid style, and considerable
power of research; but the fervour with which he expressed his
convictions, while placing him in the first rank of orators, tended to
turn his historical writings into political pamphlets. His political and
social ideas have had a great influence on the development of socialism
in France. His _Discours politiques_ (1847-1881) was published in 1882.
His most important works, besides those already mentioned, are _Lettres
sur l'Angleterre_ (1866-1867), _Dix annees de l'histoire de
l'Angleterre_ (1879-1881), and _Questions d'aujourd'hui et de demain_
(1873-1884).

See L. Fiaux, _Louis Blanc_ (1883).

BLANC, MONT, the culminating point (15,782 ft.) of the mountain range of
the same name, which forms part of the Pennine Alps, and is divided
unequally between France, Italy and Switzerland. The actual highest
summit is wholly French and is the loftiest peak in the Alps, and in
Europe also, if certain peaks in the Caucasus be excluded. At Geneva the
mountain was in former days named the Montagne Maudite, but the present
name seems to have been always used locally. On the north is the valley
of Chamonix, and on the east the head of the valley of Aosta. Among the
great glaciers which stream from the peak the most noteworthy are those
of Bossons and Taconnaz (northern slope) and of Brenva and Miage
(southern slope). The first ascent was made in 1786 by two Chamonix men,
Jacques Balmat and Dr Michel Paccard, and the second in 1787 by Balmat
with two local men. Later in 1787 H.B. de Saussure made the third
ascent, memorable in many respects, and was followed a week later by
Colonel Beaufoy, the first Englishman to gain the top. These ascents
were all made from Chamonix, which is still the usual starting point,
though routes have been forced up the peak from nearly every side, those
on the Italian side being much steeper than that from Chamonix. The
ascent from Chamonix is now frequently made in summer (rarely in winter
also), but, owing to the great height of the mountain, the view is
unsatisfactory, though very extensive (Lyons is visible). There is an
inn at the Grands Mulets (9909 ft.). In 1890 M. Vallot built an
observatory and shelter hut (14,312 ft.) on the Bosses du Dromadaire
(north-west ridge of the mountain), and