Saint-Évremond, Charles de Marguetel de Saint-Denis de

Saint-Évremond, Charles de Marguetel de Saint-Denis de shärl də märgətĕlˈ də săN-dənēˈ də săNtāvrəmôNˈ [key], 1616?–1703, French critic, writer, and soldier. He served under Condé at Rocroi and Nördlingen, was made maréchal de camp in 1652, and was later exiled for expressing hostility to the Peace of the Pyrenees (1659). His exile was divided between Holland and England. Refusing permission (1689) to return to France, he died in England and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Saint-Évremond contributed to the skeptical, freethinking current of his century. He revealed his mordant wit in his Comédie des académistes and his critical originality in his essays and dissertations on tragedy, poetry, religion, and history. His correspondence (tr. 1930) is a valuable source for events and persons of his time.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: French Literature: Biographies