Mathieu Marais facts for kids

Mathieu Marais was a French lawyer and legal expert. He lived in Paris, France, from 1665 to 1737. He is best known today for his personal writings, called Journal and Memoirs. These writings give us a look into life in Paris during his time.

Early Life and Education

Mathieu Marais was born in Paris, France. His baptism record is from October 11, 1665. Back then, babies were often baptized very soon after birth. So, people think he was born on October 10.

His father, Renault Marais, was a legal official. His mother was Catherine-Françoise Billon. Mathieu's godparents were also from the Billon family.

Mathieu studied for twelve years with the Jesuits. This was a religious group known for their schools. He became a lawyer on November 22, 1688. He worked as a lawyer until 1736.

A Lawyer for Many

Mathieu Marais was sometimes called "the lawyer of the women." This was because he often represented women in court cases. He was a very busy lawyer.

He hoped to become a member of the French Academy. This is a famous group that protects the French language.

Mathieu was a big fan of the writer Jean de La Fontaine. He even wrote a book about La Fontaine's life and works. This book was published much later, in 1811.

Friends and Writings

Mathieu Marais knew many important people of his time. These included writers like Nicolas Boileau and powerful figures like Chancellor d'Aguesseau. He also knew the wealthy financier Samuel Bernard.

His closest friend seemed to be President Bouhier. In 1737, when Mathieu was very sick, he sent his journals to Bouhier. He asked his friend to keep them safe in his library. Mathieu wanted to make sure his private writings did not fall into the wrong hands.

Mathieu also helped write for a magazine called Mercure galant. He wrote reviews for it. He was also a friend of Pierre Bayle, a famous writer. Mathieu helped Bayle with his Historical and Critical Dictionary. He wrote articles for this dictionary about important historical figures.

Mathieu Marais passed away on June 21, 1737, in Paris. His funeral was held at the same church where he was baptized.