Antoine de Rivarol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antoine de Rivarol
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Portrait of Antoine de Rivarol, by Melchior Wyrsch.
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| Born | Antoine Rivaroli 26 June 1753 Bagnols, Languedoc, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 11 April 1801 (aged 47) Berlin, Brandenburg, Holy Roman Empire |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Nationality | French |
Antoine de Rivarol (born June 26, 1753 – died April 11, 1801) was a French writer and translator. He lived during the time of the French Revolution, a major historical event in France. He was known for supporting the king (a Royalist). For a short time, he was married to a translator named Louisa Henrietta de Rivarol.
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Antoine de Rivarol's Early Life
Antoine de Rivarol was born in a town called Bagnols-sur-Cèze in Languedoc, France. His father was an innkeeper, but he was also a well-educated man. Antoine later started calling himself "comte de Rivarol," which means "Count of Rivarol." He claimed to be related to a noble Italian family. However, some people who didn't like him said his real name was "Riverot" and that he wasn't from a noble family at all.
After facing some challenges, he moved to Paris in 1777. There, he became quite successful and won several awards from academic groups.
Marriage and Family Life
In 1780, Antoine married Louisa Henrietta de Rivarol. She was a translator from Scotland. She had translated some books by a famous writer named Samuel Johnson, who was a friend of her family.
Antoine Rivarol and Louisa Henrietta had a son, but their marriage did not last long. Antoine left his wife. Later, a nurse who had helped his abandoned wife won an award for her good behavior from the Académie française (a famous French academy). Antoine was embarrassed by this. He couldn't stop the nurse from getting the award, but he managed to keep his wife's name out of the official report about it. Antoine and Louisa Henrietta officially divorced in 1784.
Rivarol's Famous Writings
In 1784, Antoine de Rivarol became more well-known for two of his works. One was his essay titled Discours sur l'Universalité de la Langue Française (which means "Speech on the Universality of the French Language"). The other was his translation of Dante's Inferno, a famous Italian poem. Both of these works were praised.
In 1788, just before the French Revolution began, Rivarol teamed up with Champcenetz. They published a funny, mocking book called Petit Almanach de nos grands hommes pour 1788 ("Little Almanac of Our Great Men for 1788"). This book made fun of many writers, both famous ones and those who were not well-known.
Rivarol's Political Views
Antoine de Rivarol was a leading journalist and writer among the group of nobles who strongly supported the old system of government in France. This system was called the Ancien Régime. He was a very strong conservative, meaning he wanted to keep things as they were and not change them. He often wrote clever, short sayings called epigrams. He openly criticized republicanism, which was the idea of having a government run by elected officials instead of a king.
Rivarol's articles were published in newspapers like the Journal Politique and Actes des Apotres.
Life in Exile and Death
In 1792, Antoine de Rivarol left France because of the Revolution. He first went to Brussels, then moved to London, Hamburg, and finally Berlin. He died in Berlin in 1801.
Antoine had a brother named Claude François (1762–1848), who was also a writer. Claude François wrote a novel, a comedy, and a history book about the causes of the French Revolution.
Antoine de Rivarol died as an exile in Berlin. He was buried in the Dorotheenstadt cemetery, but over time, the exact spot of his grave was forgotten.
Antoine de Rivarol's Works
- (1782). Lettre Critique sur le Poème des Jardins.
- (1783). Lettre à M. le Président de *** sur le globe Airostatique, sur les Têtes Parlantes et sur l’État Présent de l’Opinion Publique à Paris.
- (1784). De l’Universalité de la Langue Française.
- (1785). L’Enfer, Poème du Dante.
- (1787). Récit du Portier du Sieur Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais.
- (1788). Le Petit Almanach de nos Grands Hommes.
- (1788). Première Lettre à M. Necker, sur l’Importance des Opinions Religieuses.
- (1788). Seconde Lettre à M. Necker sur la Morale.
- (1788). Le Songe d’Athalie (with Louis de Champcenetz).
- (1789). Mémoire sur la Nature et la Valeur de l’Argent.
- (1789). Le Petit Almanach de nos Grandes Femmes (with Louis de Champcenetz).
- (1789). Journal Politique-national des États-Généraux et de la Révolution de 1789.
- (1789). Adresse à MM. les Impartiaux ou Les Amis de la Paix Réunis chez Monseigneur le Duc de La Rochefoucault.
- (1790). Petit Dictionnaire des Grands Hommes de la Révolution (with Louis de Champcenetz).
- (1790). Triomphe de l’Anarchie.
- (1790). Épître de Voltaire à Mlle Raucour, actrice du Théâtre-français.
- (1790). Le Petit Almanach de nos Grands-hommes.
- (1790). Réponse à la réponse de M. de Champcenetz au sujet de l’ouvrage de madame la B. de S*** sur Rousseau.
- (1791). Essai sur la Nécessité du Mal.
- (1792). De la Vie Politique.
- (1792). Lettre à la Noblesse Française, au Moment de sa Rentrée en France sous les Ordres de M. le duc de Brunswick, Généralissime des Armées de l’Empereur et du Roi de Prusse.
- (1792). Le Petit Almanach des Grands Spectacles de Paris.
- (1793). Adresse du Peuple Belge, à S. M. l’Empereur.
- (1795). Histoire Secrète de Coblence dans la Révolution Française.
- (1797). Tableau Historique et Politique des Travaux de l’Assemblée Constituante, depuis l’Ouverture des États Généraux jusqu’après la Journée du 6 Octobre 1789.
- (1797). Discours Préliminaire du Nouveau Dictionnaire de la Langue Française.
- (1808). Œuvres Complètes, Précédées d’une Notice sur sa Vie [5 vol.].
See also
In Spanish: Antoine de Rivarol para niños
