François de La Mothe Le Vayer (French:[dəlamɔtləveje], August 1588 – 9 May 1672), was a French writer who was known to use the pseudonym Orosius Tubero. He was admitted to the Académie française in 1639, and was the tutor of Louis XIV.
Le Vayer was born and died in Paris, a member of a noble family of Maine. His father was an avocat at the parlement of Paris and author of a curious treatise on the functions of ambassadors, entitled Legatus, seu De legatorum privilegiis, officio et munere libellus (1579) and illustrated mainly from ancient history. Francois succeeded his father at the parlement, but gave up his post about 1647 and devoted himself to travel and belles lettres.[1]
Literary careeredit
His Considérations sur l'éloquence française (1638) procured him admission to the Académie française, and his De l'instruction de Mgr. le Dauphin (1640) attracted the attention of Richelieu. In 1649 Anne of Austria entrusted him with the education of her second son and subsequently with the completion of Louis XIV's education, which had been very much neglected. The outcome of his pedagogic labors was a series of books comprising the Géographie, Rhétorique, Morale, Economique, Politique, Logique, and Physique du prince (1651–1658). The king rewarded his tutor by appointing him historiographer of France and councillor of state. La Mothe Le Vayer inherited of Marie de Gournay's library, itself transmitted from Michel de Montaigne.[1]
Modest, sceptical, and occasionally obscene in his Latin pieces and in his verses, he made himself a persona grata at the French court, where libertinism in ideas and morals was hailed with relish. Besides his educational works, he wrote Jugement sur les anciens et principaux historiens grecs et latins (1646); a treatise entitled Du peu de certitude qu'il y a en histoire (1668), which in a sense marks the beginning of historical criticism in France; and sceptical Dialogues, published posthumously under the pseudonym of Orasius Tubero. An incomplete edition of his works was published at Dresden in 1756–1759.[1] He was instrumental is popularizing Skepticism and Sextus Empiricus in particular whom he called "the divine Sexte" (a near blasphemy in Catholic France at the time of the Sun-King, which cost him a higher office of State).[citation needed]
Molière was his close friend and it is rumored that much of the iconoclastic satire of his plays were inspired by Le Vayer's erudite and savage (if carefully hidden) criticism of religious hypocrisy - as expressed in the second version of his masterpiece Tartuffe (1667) — which (according to Robert McBride) La Mothe Le Vayer defended in a caustic and anonymous Lettre sur la comédie de l'Imposteur (1667) against the religious faction at Louis XIV's court.[2]Michel Foucault used this work as an important material in his famous essay "Governmentality."[citation needed]
^McBride, Moliere Et Son Premier Tartuffe (Manchester University Press, 2005), ISBN0907310575
Referencesedit
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "La Mothe le Vayer, François de". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 131.
Recent edition of selected critical treatises:
De la patrie et des étrangers et autres petits traités sceptiques, ed. Philippe-Joseph Salazar, Paris: Desjonquères, 2003.
Robert McBride, Lettre sur la comedie de l'Imposteur, attributed to Le Vayer. Durham: University of Durham Press, 1994.
Works by or about François de La Mothe Le Vayer at Internet Archive
November 23, 2023
françois, mothe, vayer, french, mɔt, veje, august, 1588, 1672, french, writer, known, pseudonym, orosius, tubero, admitted, académie, française, 1639, tutor, louis, contents, early, years, literary, career, notes, references, external, linksearly, years, editl. Francois de La Mothe Le Vayer French de la mɔt le veje August 1588 9 May 1672 was a French writer who was known to use the pseudonym Orosius Tubero He was admitted to the Academie francaise in 1639 and was the tutor of Louis XIV Francois de La Mothe Le Vayer Contents 1 Early years 2 Literary career 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksEarly years editLe Vayer was born and died in Paris a member of a noble family of Maine His father was an avocat at the parlement of Paris and author of a curious treatise on the functions of ambassadors entitled Legatus seu De legatorum privilegiis officio et munere libellus 1579 and illustrated mainly from ancient history Francois succeeded his father at the parlement but gave up his post about 1647 and devoted himself to travel and belles lettres 1 Literary career editHis Considerations sur l eloquence francaise 1638 procured him admission to the Academie francaise and his De l instruction de Mgr le Dauphin 1640 attracted the attention of Richelieu In 1649 Anne of Austria entrusted him with the education of her second son and subsequently with the completion of Louis XIV s education which had been very much neglected The outcome of his pedagogic labors was a series of books comprising the Geographie Rhetorique Morale Economique Politique Logique and Physique du prince 1651 1658 The king rewarded his tutor by appointing him historiographer of France and councillor of state La Mothe Le Vayer inherited of Marie de Gournay s library itself transmitted from Michel de Montaigne 1 Modest sceptical and occasionally obscene in his Latin pieces and in his verses he made himself a persona grata at the French court where libertinism in ideas and morals was hailed with relish Besides his educational works he wrote Jugement sur les anciens et principaux historiens grecs et latins 1646 a treatise entitled Du peu de certitude qu il y a en histoire 1668 which in a sense marks the beginning of historical criticism in France and sceptical Dialogues published posthumously under the pseudonym of Orasius Tubero An incomplete edition of his works was published at Dresden in 1756 1759 1 He was instrumental is popularizing Skepticism and Sextus Empiricus in particular whom he called the divine Sexte a near blasphemy in Catholic France at the time of the Sun King which cost him a higher office of State citation needed Moliere was his close friend and it is rumored that much of the iconoclastic satire of his plays were inspired by Le Vayer s erudite and savage if carefully hidden criticism of religious hypocrisy as expressed in the second version of his masterpiece Tartuffe 1667 which according to Robert McBride La Mothe Le Vayer defended in a caustic and anonymous Lettre sur la comedie de l Imposteur 1667 against the religious faction at Louis XIV s court 2 Michel Foucault used this work as an important material in his famous essay Governmentality citation needed Notes editThis 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 Francois de La Mothe Le Vayer news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message a b c Chisholm 1911 McBride Moliere Et Son Premier Tartuffe Manchester University Press 2005 ISBN 0907310575References edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 La Mothe le Vayer Francois de Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 16 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 131 Recent edition of selected critical treatises De la patrie et des etrangers et autres petits traites sceptiques ed Philippe Joseph Salazar Paris Desjonqueres 2003 Robert McBride Lettre sur la comedie de l Imposteur attributed to Le Vayer Durham University of Durham Press 1994 External links editWorks by Francois de la Mothe le Vayer at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Francois de La Mothe Le Vayer at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francois de La Mothe Le Vayer amp oldid 1179044687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
