Jean François de Saint-Lambert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean François de Saint-Lambert
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| Born | 26 December 1716 |
| Died | 9 February 1803 (aged 86) |
| Title | Marquis de Saint-Lambert |
Jean François de Saint-Lambert (born December 26, 1716 – died February 9, 1803) was a talented French writer. He was known as a poet and a deep thinker, or philosopher. He also served as a military officer for a time.
Contents
Early Life & Writing Journey
Jean François de Saint-Lambert was born in Nancy, a city in France. He grew up on his family's land in a village called Affracourt. This village was in a region named Lorraine.
Education and Early Health
He went to university in Pont-à-Mousson. After his studies, he spent several years at home. He was recovering from an illness. Saint-Lambert often said he had poor health. However, he lived to be 86 years old. He even took part in military battles.
Starting His Poetry Career
Saint-Lambert began writing poems when he was a teenager. He was part of a group of friends who enjoyed literature. This group met at the home of Françoise de Graffigny in Lunéville.
By 1733, he had already started writing his most important poem. It was called The Seasons. This major work was not printed until 1769. He liked to read his poems to friends. He also shared them in special gatherings called salons. He took his time before publishing his works.
Military Service & Moving to Paris
In 1739, Saint-Lambert joined the Heudicourt regiment. This was a part of the Lorraine Guards army. His childhood friend, Charles-Just, was already a colonel there. Charles-Just was only 19 years old at the time.
Fighting in Italian Campaigns
For much of the 1740s, the two friends fought together. They were part of the Italian campaigns. These battles were during the War of the Austrian Succession. This was a big war that involved many European countries.
Life in Paris & New Title
Around 1750, Saint-Lambert moved to Paris. This is when he started calling himself "Marquis de Saint-Lambert." A marquis is a noble title. He did not actually have the right to use this title. Some people even thought he was not from a noble family. But later, proof showed he was indeed of noble birth.
Later Life & Literary Works
Saint-Lambert left the army in 1758. After that, he spent the rest of his life focused on writing. He became a very important figure in French literature.
Contributions to the Encyclopédie
He wrote several articles for a famous book series. This series was called the Encyclopédie. It was put together by a well-known philosopher named Diderot. The Encyclopédie was a huge project. It aimed to gather all human knowledge.
Published Works and Philosophy
In 1764, Saint-Lambert published an essay. It was about the topic of "Luxury." In 1769, he released a new edition of The Seasons. This book also included other poems and short stories he had written.
He finished a large philosophical work in 1797–98. It was called Principe des mœurs chez toutes les nations ou Catéchisme universel. This means "Principle of morals among all nations, or universal catechism." He also wrote about "Siam" (modern-day Thailand). He likely contributed to other parts of a book by Guillaume Thomas François Raynal. This book was about European settlements and trade.
Joining the Académie française
In 1770, Saint-Lambert was chosen to join the Académie française. This is a very important group in France. It focuses on the French language and literature. Being a member is a great honor for writers and scholars.
