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Jean-François Marmontel

September 27, 2023

Jean-François Marmontel (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ fʁɑ̃swa maʁmɔ̃tɛl]; 11 July 1723 – 31 December 1799) was a French historian, writer and a member of the Encyclopédistes movement.

Portrait by Alexander Roslin (1767)

Biography Edit

He was born of poor parents at Bort, Limousin (today in Corrèze). After studying with the Jesuits at Mauriac, Cantal, he taught in their colleges at Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse; and in 1745, acting on the advice of Voltaire, he set out for Paris to try for literary success.

From 1748 to 1753 he wrote a succession of tragedies: Denys le Tyran (1748); Aristomene (1749); Cleopâtre (1750); Heraclides (1752); Egyptus (1753). These literary works, though only moderately successful on the stage, secured Marmontel's introduction into literary and fashionable circles.

He wrote a series of articles for the Encyclopédie evincing considerable critical power and insight, which in their collected form, under the title Eléments de Littérature, still rank among the French classics. He also wrote several comic operas, the two best of which probably are Sylvain (1770) and Zémire et Azore (1771). In the Gluck–Piccinni controversy he was an eager partisan of Piccinni with whom he collaborated in Roland (Piccinni) (1778) and Atys (1779), both using Jean Baptiste Lully's libretto by Quinault as basis, Didon (1783) and Penelope (1785).

In 1758 he gained the patronage of Madame de Pompadour, who obtained for him a place as a civil servant, and the management of the official journal Le Mercure, in which he had already begun the famous series of Contes moraux. The merit of these tales lies partly in the delicate finish of the style, but mainly in the graphic and charming pictures of French society under King Louis XV. The author was elected to the Académie française in 1763. In 1767 he published Bélisaire, now remarkable in part because of a chapter on religious toleration which incurred the censure of the Sorbonne and the archbishop of Paris. Marmontel retorted in Les Incas, ou la destruction de l'empire du Perou (1777) by tracing the cruelties in Spanish America to the religious fanaticism of the invaders.

He was appointed historiographer of France (1771), secretary to the Academy (1783), and professor of history in the Lycée (1786). As a historiographer, Marmontel wrote a history of the regency (1788). Reduced to poverty by the French Revolution, Marmontel retired during the Reign of Terror to Evreux, and soon afterwards to a cottage at Abloville (near Saint-Aubin-sur-Gaillon) in the département of Eure. There he wrote Memoires d'un père (4 vols., 1804), including a picturesque review of his life, a literary history of two important reigns, a great gallery of portraits extending from the venerable Jean Baptiste Massillon, whom more than half a century previously he had seen at Clermont, to Honoré Mirabeau. The book was nominally written for the instruction of his children. It contains an exquisite picture of his own childhood in the Limousin; its value for the literary historian is great.

Marmontel lived for some time under the roof of Madame Geoffrin, and was present at her famous dinners given to artists; he was welcomed into most of the houses where the encyclopaedists met, and was a contributor to the Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers.[1] He thus had at his command the best material for his portraits, and made good use of his opportunities. After a short stay in Paris when elected in 1797 to the Conseil des Anciens, he died at Abloville.[2]

He was a member of the Masonic lodge Les Neuf Sœurs.

John Ruskin named him as one of the three people in history who were the most influential for him.[3] In his autobiography, John Stuart Mill credits Memoires d'un père with curing him of depression.[4]

Works Edit

Theatre Edit

Marmontel published many opera librettos and mostly operas comiques librettos, a genre in which he excelled but could not compete with Charles-Simon Favart.

Poetry Edit

  • Polymnie, satire en 11 chants
  • 1751: L’établissement de l’École militaire,
  • 1752: Vers sur la convalescence du Dauphin,
  • 1753: La naissance du duc d’Aquitaine,
  • 1760: Épître aux poètes,
  • 1820: La Neuvaine de Cythère,[6] (licencious poem)

Novels Edit

  • 1755–1759: Contes moraux,
  • 1767: Bélisaire,[7] Reprinted in 1787 by the Bibliothèque amusante. (see the two paintings by Jacques Louis David Bélisaire demandant l'aumône)
  • 1777: Les Incas, ou la destruction de l'empire du Perou
  • 1792: Nouveaux contes moraux

Essays Edit

  • 1763: Poétique française, 3 parts: a work in which Racine and Boileau are strongly attacked.
  • 1777: Essai sur les révolutions de la musique en France,[8]
  • 1785: De l’Autorité de l’usage sur la langue,
  • 1787: Éléments de littérature. Modern edition at Desjonquères, presented, established and annotated by Sophie Le Ménahèze, 2005.
  • 1788: Mémoire sur la régence du duc d’Orléans
  • 1792: Apologie de l’Académie française.

Varia Edit

  • 1746: L'Observateur littéraire : literary journal established with Jean-Grégoire Bauvin (or Beauvin) ; « Cette feuille, écrira-t-il, n'étant ni la critique infidèle et injuste des bons ouvrages, ni la satire amère et mordante des bons auteurs, elle eut peu de débit.» . The title was revived by abbé de La Porte in 1758.
  • 1712–1714: The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope, translated into verse La boucle de cheveux enlevée, 1746. Edition bilingue moderne chez Rivages poche, 2010, 142 pages (ISBN 9782743621377)
  • 1759: édition remaniée de Venceslas by Rotrou,
  • 1766: La Pharsale de Lucain, translated into prose,
  • 1775: édition des Chefs d’œuvres dramatiques de Mairet, Du Ryer et Rotrou, with a Commentaire,
  • 1800: Mémoires d’un père pour servir à l’instruction de ses enfants,
  • 1806: Leçons d’un père à ses enfants sur la langue française.

Notes Edit

  1. ^ Frank A. Kafker: Recherches sur Diderot et sur l'Encyclopédie. Année (1990) Volume 8 Numéro 8 p. 102
  2. ^ Sainte-Beuve, Causeries du lundi, iv.; Morellet, Eloge (1805)
  3. ^ . Archived from the original on 24 February 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  4. ^ Collected Works of John Stuart Mill (1981) London, Routledge, Vol. 1, (p. 145)
  5. ^ Marmontel, Jean-François (1723-1799) Auteur du texte (1750). Aristomène, tragédie, par M. Marmontel. [Comédiens ordinaires du Roy, 30 avril 1749].
  6. ^ Marmontel, Jean-François (1723-1799) Auteur du texte (1879). La neuvaine de Cythère / par Marmontel,... ; avec notice par M. Charles Monselet.
  7. ^ Ce livre interdit a directement fait l'objet d'une critique Examen du Bélisaire de M. Marmontel
  8. ^ Marmontel, Jean-François (1723-1799) Auteur du texte (1777). Essai sur les révolutions de la musique, en France.

References Edit

External links Edit

September 27, 2023
jean, françois, marmontel, french, pronunciation, ʒɑ, fʁɑ, maʁmɔ, tɛl, july, 1723, december, 1799, french, historian, writer, member, encyclopédistes, movement, portrait, alexander, roslin, 1767, contents, biography, works, theatre, poetry, novels, essays, var. Jean Francois Marmontel French pronunciation ʒɑ fʁɑ swa maʁmɔ tɛl 11 July 1723 31 December 1799 was a French historian writer and a member of the Encyclopedistes movement Portrait by Alexander Roslin 1767 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 Theatre 2 2 Poetry 2 3 Novels 2 4 Essays 2 5 Varia 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message He was born of poor parents at Bort Limousin today in Correze After studying with the Jesuits at Mauriac Cantal he taught in their colleges at Clermont Ferrand and Toulouse and in 1745 acting on the advice of Voltaire he set out for Paris to try for literary success From 1748 to 1753 he wrote a succession of tragedies Denys le Tyran 1748 Aristomene 1749 Cleopatre 1750 Heraclides 1752 Egyptus 1753 These literary works though only moderately successful on the stage secured Marmontel s introduction into literary and fashionable circles He wrote a series of articles for the Encyclopedie evincing considerable critical power and insight which in their collected form under the title Elements de Litterature still rank among the French classics He also wrote several comic operas the two best of which probably are Sylvain 1770 and Zemire et Azore 1771 In the Gluck Piccinni controversy he was an eager partisan of Piccinni with whom he collaborated in Roland Piccinni 1778 and Atys 1779 both using Jean Baptiste Lully s libretto by Quinault as basis Didon 1783 and Penelope 1785 In 1758 he gained the patronage of Madame de Pompadour who obtained for him a place as a civil servant and the management of the official journal Le Mercure in which he had already begun the famous series of Contes moraux The merit of these tales lies partly in the delicate finish of the style but mainly in the graphic and charming pictures of French society under King Louis XV The author was elected to the Academie francaise in 1763 In 1767 he published Belisaire now remarkable in part because of a chapter on religious toleration which incurred the censure of the Sorbonne and the archbishop of Paris Marmontel retorted in Les Incas ou la destruction de l empire du Perou 1777 by tracing the cruelties in Spanish America to the religious fanaticism of the invaders He was appointed historiographer of France 1771 secretary to the Academy 1783 and professor of history in the Lycee 1786 As a historiographer Marmontel wrote a history of the regency 1788 Reduced to poverty by the French Revolution Marmontel retired during the Reign of Terror to Evreux and soon afterwards to a cottage at Abloville near Saint Aubin sur Gaillon in the departement of Eure There he wrote Memoires d un pere 4 vols 1804 including a picturesque review of his life a literary history of two important reigns a great gallery of portraits extending from the venerable Jean Baptiste Massillon whom more than half a century previously he had seen at Clermont to Honore Mirabeau The book was nominally written for the instruction of his children It contains an exquisite picture of his own childhood in the Limousin its value for the literary historian is great Marmontel lived for some time under the roof of Madame Geoffrin and was present at her famous dinners given to artists he was welcomed into most of the houses where the encyclopaedists met and was a contributor to the Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire raisonne des sciences des arts et des metiers 1 He thus had at his command the best material for his portraits and made good use of his opportunities After a short stay in Paris when elected in 1797 to the Conseil des Anciens he died at Abloville 2 He was a member of the Masonic lodge Les Neuf Sœurs John Ruskin named him as one of the three people in history who were the most influential for him 3 In his autobiography John Stuart Mill credits Memoires d un pere with curing him of depression 4 Works EditTheatre Edit Marmontel published many opera librettos and mostly operas comiques librettos a genre in which he excelled but could not compete with Charles Simon Favart 1748 Denys le tyran tragedy 5 February 1749 Aristomene 5 tragedy 30 April 1750 Cleopatre tragedie 20 May 1751 La Guirlande acte de ballet music by Jean Philippe Rameau 1751 Acante et Cephise pastorale heroique in three acts music by Jean Philippe Rameau 1752 Les Heraclides tragedy 24 May 1753 Egyptus tragedy 1753 Lisis et Delie pastorale heroique in 1 act music by Jean Philippe Rameau 1753 Les sibarites acte de ballet music by Jean Philippe Rameau 1761 Hercule mourant tragedie lyrique music by Antoine Dauvergne 1762 Annette et Lubin 1766 La Bergere des Alpes 1768 Le Huron opera comique music by Andre Gretry 1769 Lucile opera comique music by Andre Gretry 1770 Sylvain opera comique music by Andre Gretry 1771 L amie de la maison opera comique music by Andre Gretry 1771 Zemire et Azor opera comique music by Andre Gretry 1773 Cephale et Procris ballet heroique music by Andre Gretry 1775 La Fausse magie opera comique music by Andre Gretry 1783 Didon opera music by Niccolo Piccinni 1785 Penelope opera comique music by Niccolo Piccinni 1788 Demophoon music by Luigi Cherubini Poetry Edit Polymnie satire en 11 chants 1751 L etablissement de l Ecole militaire 1752 Vers sur la convalescence du Dauphin 1753 La naissance du duc d Aquitaine 1760 Epitre aux poetes 1820 La Neuvaine de Cythere 6 licencious poem Novels Edit 1755 1759 Contes moraux 1767 Belisaire 7 Reprinted in 1787 by the Bibliotheque amusante see the two paintings by Jacques Louis David Belisaire demandant l aumone 1777 Les Incas ou la destruction de l empire du Perou 1792 Nouveaux contes morauxEssays Edit 1763 Poetique francaise 3 parts a work in which Racine and Boileau are strongly attacked 1777 Essai sur les revolutions de la musique en France 8 1785 De l Autorite de l usage sur la langue 1787 Elements de litterature Modern edition at Desjonqueres presented established and annotated by Sophie Le Menaheze 2005 1788 Memoire sur la regence du duc d Orleans 1792 Apologie de l Academie francaise Varia Edit 1746 L Observateur litteraire literary journal established with Jean Gregoire Bauvin or Beauvin Cette feuille ecrira t il n etant ni la critique infidele et injuste des bons ouvrages ni la satire amere et mordante des bons auteurs elle eut peu de debit The title was revived by abbe de La Porte in 1758 1712 1714 The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope translated into verse La boucle de cheveux enlevee 1746 Edition bilingue moderne chez Rivages poche 2010 142 pages ISBN 9782743621377 1759 edition remaniee de Venceslas by Rotrou 1766 La Pharsale de Lucain translated into prose 1775 edition des Chefs d œuvres dramatiques de Mairet Du Ryer et Rotrou with a Commentaire 1800 Memoires d un pere pour servir a l instruction de ses enfants 1806 Lecons d un pere a ses enfants sur la langue francaise Notes Edit Frank A Kafker Recherches sur Diderot et sur l Encyclopedie Annee 1990 Volume 8 Numero 8 p 102 Sainte Beuve Causeries du lundi iv Morellet Eloge 1805 John Ruskin Sesame and Lilies Archived from the original on 24 February 2009 Retrieved 9 September 2017 Collected Works of John Stuart Mill 1981 London Routledge Vol 1 p 145 Marmontel Jean Francois 1723 1799 Auteur du texte 1750 Aristomene tragedie par M Marmontel Comediens ordinaires du Roy 30 avril 1749 Marmontel Jean Francois 1723 1799 Auteur du texte 1879 La neuvaine de Cythere par Marmontel avec notice par M Charles Monselet Ce livre interdit a directement fait l objet d une critique Examen du Belisaire de M Marmontel Marmontel Jean Francois 1723 1799 Auteur du texte 1777 Essai sur les revolutions de la musique en France References EditMallet du Pan Jacques 1800 Character of Marmontel The European Magazine and London Review 37 103 104 nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Marmontel Jean Francois Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 17 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 745 External links EditWorks by Jean Francois Marmontel at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Jean Francois Marmontel at Internet Archive Marmontel on Wikisource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jean Francois Marmontel amp oldid 1176585026, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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