Under the French Ancien Régime, royal censorship was the task of censors appointed by the chancellor to judge the editorial legitimacy of a manuscript and to authorize its publication by an approval they signed.
At the same time, a privilege in the form of letters patent granted in the King's Council, most often to the bookseller, guaranteed not the content, but the property of the publication against the counterfeiters. This renewable privilege was for three years, or even without limitation for certain basic works (Fathers of the Church, etc.).
Brochures of up to 48 pages in-12 were the subject of a simple permission granted by the lieutenant general of police of the place.
Royal Privilege affixed on an engraving of Gregoire Huret for the Theater of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Censorship was provided by specialists in a number of areas, from the humanities to the sciences in general. They were appointed by the Chancellor. Their judgment related to the content of the proposed manuscript and not to the form. They could ask the author for some corrections.
History of prior censorshipedit
Richelieu was the first to appoint experts assigned to this task by the edict of 1629.[1] After the Fronde, Colbert created a direction of the Bookstore, responsible for ensuring the granting of permissions and privileges now mandatory for all impressions made in France.
In 1701, Abbe Bignon, in charge of the bookstore business, promulgated a regulation of publishing in France which, modified in 1723 for Paris and generalized in 1744, remained in force until the French Revolution. Every manuscript must obtain the approval of a censor to obtain the editing privilege. Some manuscripts were however edited secretly under false address. This was the case of the Philosophical Letters of Voltaire or Émile, or De l'éducation de Rousseau. But most authors wishing to avoid censorship were publishing their books abroad: London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Basel, Geneva. The regulation stipulated that books could cross the border only by certain cities and after examination.[2] But there was no provision to suppress smuggling.
Organization of censorshipedit
The royal censors were appointed by the Chancellor, each in his specialty. The Royal Almanac published the list every year.
As early as 1701, the plays were in turn the subject of royal censorship: read before publication by the censors under the authority of the lieutenant general of police, the pieces were authorized either as such and received approval, or with cuts or corrections, when they were not simply prohibited. Voltaire paid the price for his Mohammed (1743), Sedaine for his Deserter (1769); The Barber of Seville and the Marriage of Figaro de Beaumarchais escaped only thanks to the obstinacy of Marie Antoinette.
Theatrical censorsedit
1701-1721: Marc-René de Voyer, Marquis of Argenson (1652-1721)
1721-1726:?
1726-1734: Father Claude Cherrier (1655-1738)
1735-1762: Prosper Jolyot of Crebillon (1674-1762)
1762-1774: François-Louis Claude Marin 1721-1809)
1774-1776: Claude Prosper Jolyot of Crebillon (1707-1777)
1776-1777: Louis-Edme Billardon of Sauvigny (1736-1812)
1777-1790: Jean Baptiste Antoine Suard (1733-1817)
Claude-Marin Saugrain, Code of the bookstore and printing of Paris, Paris, at the expense of the Community, 1744.
Raymond Birn, The Royal Censorship of Books in Enlightenment France, Paris, Odile Jacob, 2007 (ISBN2-7381-1851-8).
William Hanley, A biographical dictionary of English censors 1742-1789, Ferney, International Center for the Study of the Eighteenth Century, 2005 (ISBN978-2-84559031-1)
Biography of the royal censors, Paris, at the merchants of novelties, 1821.
Victor Hallays-Dabot, History of theatrical censorship in France, Paris, E. Dentu, 1862.
March 17, 2024
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Censorship in the Ancien Regime news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article has an unclear citation style The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation and footnoting September 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Under the French Ancien Regime royal censorship was the task of censors appointed by the chancellor to judge the editorial legitimacy of a manuscript and to authorize its publication by an approval they signed At the same time a privilege in the form of letters patent granted in the King s Council most often to the bookseller guaranteed not the content but the property of the publication against the counterfeiters This renewable privilege was for three years or even without limitation for certain basic works Fathers of the Church etc Brochures of up to 48 pages in 12 were the subject of a simple permission granted by the lieutenant general of police of the place Contents 1 Object of censorship 2 History of prior censorship 3 Organization of censorship 4 Main royal censors 5 Theatrical censorship 6 Theatrical censors 7 See also 8 References 9 SourcesObject of censorship edit nbsp Royal Privilege affixed on an engraving of Gregoire Huret for the Theater of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus ChristCensorship was provided by specialists in a number of areas from the humanities to the sciences in general They were appointed by the Chancellor Their judgment related to the content of the proposed manuscript and not to the form They could ask the author for some corrections History of prior censorship editRichelieu was the first to appoint experts assigned to this task by the edict of 1629 1 After the Fronde Colbert created a direction of the Bookstore responsible for ensuring the granting of permissions and privileges now mandatory for all impressions made in France In 1701 Abbe Bignon in charge of the bookstore business promulgated a regulation of publishing in France which modified in 1723 for Paris and generalized in 1744 remained in force until the French Revolution Every manuscript must obtain the approval of a censor to obtain the editing privilege Some manuscripts were however edited secretly under false address This was the case of the Philosophical Letters of Voltaire or Emile or De l education de Rousseau But most authors wishing to avoid censorship were publishing their books abroad London Amsterdam Frankfurt Basel Geneva The regulation stipulated that books could cross the border only by certain cities and after examination 2 But there was no provision to suppress smuggling Organization of censorship editThe royal censors were appointed by the Chancellor each in his specialty The Royal Almanac published the list every year Main royal censors editMichel Adanson Nicolas Andry de Boisregard Charles de Beaumont knight of Eon Pierre Jean Boudot Jean Baptiste Michel Bucquet Joseph Barthelemy Francois Carrere fr Charles Nicolas Cochin the Younger Nicolas Cocquelin fr Jean Marie Louis Coupe Louis Cousin Claude Delisle Jean Nicolas Demeunier Desfontaines Lavallee Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle Augustin Francois Jault Joseph Prunis fr Jean Louis Ignace de La Serre Guillaume Chretien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes Jean Etienne Montucla Jean Baptiste Robinet Antoine YartTheatrical censorship editAs early as 1701 the plays were in turn the subject of royal censorship read before publication by the censors under the authority of the lieutenant general of police the pieces were authorized either as such and received approval or with cuts or corrections when they were not simply prohibited Voltaire paid the price for his Mohammed 1743 Sedaine for his Deserter 1769 The Barber of Seville and the Marriage of Figaro de Beaumarchais escaped only thanks to the obstinacy of Marie Antoinette Theatrical censors edit1701 1721 Marc Rene de Voyer Marquis of Argenson 1652 1721 1721 1726 1726 1734 Father Claude Cherrier 1655 1738 1735 1762 Prosper Jolyot of Crebillon 1674 1762 1762 1774 Francois Louis Claude Marin 1721 1809 1774 1776 Claude Prosper Jolyot of Crebillon 1707 1777 1776 1777 Louis Edme Billardon of Sauvigny 1736 1812 1777 1790 Jean Baptiste Antoine Suard 1733 1817 1790 1792 Joly3 3 1804 1815 Jean Louis Brousse Desfaucherets Pierre Edouard Lemonty Charles de Lacretelle and Joseph Alphonse Esmenard 1815 1822 Charles Joseph Loeillard of Avrigny Pierre Edouard Lemontey Charles de Lacretelle and Joseph Alphonse Esmenard 1822 1827 Jacques Honore de Lourdoueix Charles de Lacretelle Rene Alissan of Chazet Jean Louis Laya and Antoine Quatremere of Quincy 1827 1830 See also edit nbsp France portal nbsp Law portal nbsp Theatre portalCensorship in FranceReferences edit Bibliotheque nationale de France November 12 2007 Livre et censure Bibliographie PDF in French Retrieved August 12 2014 Rene Pomeau et Jean Ehrard Litterature francaise T 5 de Fenelon a Voltaire p 30 34 Il s agit peut etre d Etienne Louis Hector de Joly Sources editClaude Marin Saugrain Code of the bookstore and printing of Paris Paris at the expense of the Community 1744 Raymond Birn The Royal Censorship of Books in Enlightenment France Paris Odile Jacob 2007 ISBN 2 7381 1851 8 William Hanley A biographical dictionary of English censors 1742 1789 Ferney International Center for the Study of the Eighteenth Century 2005 ISBN 978 2 84559031 1 Biography of the royal censors Paris at the merchants of novelties 1821 Victor Hallays Dabot History of theatrical censorship in France Paris E Dentu 1862 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Censorship in the Ancien Regime amp oldid 1187813678, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
