Antoine-Isaac Silvestre of Sacy

Antoine-Isaac, baron Silvestre of Sacy , born the September 21st 1758 with Paris where he died the February 21st 1838, was a Linguiste and a Orientaliste French of the end of the XVIIIe and beginning of the 19th centuries.

Biography

His/her father, Abraham Woodland, were a notary follower of the Jansénisme established with Paris which had several children. It was to be distinguished from his/her brothers that Antoine-Isaac Silvestre added to his name that of the village of Sacy, located in the Yonne. It was anobli in 1809 with the title of knight of Empire, then, in 1813 of baron d' Empire. Louis XVIII assure him the title thereafter.

Having lost his father any child, it was raised by his mother in feelings of great piety and showed early an astonishing aptitude for the languages. The Bénédictin dom George François Berthereau started to initiate it with the knowledge of the Hebrew , when it was hardly twelve years old, while making him read its prayers in the original text.

After the Hebrew , it almost learned without Master the Syriaque, the Samaritain, the Chaldéen, the Arab , the Persan and the Turkish , then the English, the German , the Italian and the Spanish . When it had finished its literary studies, it learned the Droit and was named, in 1781, adviser with the Cour of the currencies.

While fulfilling its functions, it continued with heat its work of linguistics. As of 1780, it started to publish, in the Répertoire of biblical literature of Eichhorn, of the notes on a syriaque version of the Livre of the Kings , translations of written letters by Samaritans with Scaliger, etc, and was named, in 1785, free member of the Académie of the inscriptions. It then published in the collection of this company of the memories On the history of the Arab before Mahomet, On the origin of their literature, then it made translations and wrote, of 1787 with 1791, On antiquities of Persia , four memories which attested as much scholarship than of sagacity.

In 1791, it became one of the general police chiefs charged to supervise the manufacture of the currencies and, the following year, was named member in title of the Academy of the inscriptions.

Hostile with the great reforms of the Revolution, it dislocated its functions of police chief in 1792 and was withdrawn in a property at the bottom of the Brie, where it continued his favorite work and was devoted in particular to research on the religion of the Druzes.

In 1795, the Convention having created a school of Eastern languages, it had to teach Arabic there. This same year, one restores the Institut and the scientist orientalist became member of the section of literature and the fine arts. But its refusal to swear hatred with the royalty did not make it possible to admit it in the learned body, of which it formed part only in 1803. However, it preserved its Arabic pulpit and became, with same, time, one of the writers of the Journal of the scientists . The many ones and important work which it made since then appear increased considerably its reputation and placed it at the first rank of the Orientaliste S which dealt of Arabic and Persan.

In 1805, it was charged to go to Genoa to discover Eastern manuscripts there; but its research was without result, and it had to be restricted to bring back interesting historical documents.

Named professor of Persan with the Collège de France in 1806, it entered to the legislative Body like deputy of Paris in 1808, there sat until the Restauration and accepted, in 1813, the title of baron. Woodland of Sacy applauds with enthusiasm the return of the Bourbons.

After the Hundred Days, he became Member of the Commission of state education, then royal council and, was appointed later administrator of the Collège de France and the special École of the Eastern languages.

In 1822, it founded with Abel-Rémusat the Asian Société, and it was on its initiative that one created pulpits of Sanscrit, of Hindustani, Chinese and Mandchou to the Collège de France.

Being rejoined with the revolution of 1830, it was called, in 1832 to be sat at the Chambre of the pars and united with the functions which it filled already those of inspector of the Eastern types of royal Printing works (1832), of conservative of the Eastern manuscripts to the royal Bibliothèque and of perpetual secretary of the Academy of the inscriptions.

In spite of its multiple occupations, it did not continue any less to give until the end of its life its courses of Arabic and Persan.

It was, when it died, member of almost all the Academies of Europe and large officer of the Légion of honor.

Although it did not deal with the compared study of languages, it is looked like one of the largest philologists of the 19th century. It was one of the most sagacious representatives and most eminent of the old school which attempted to study a language, a grammar, to seize the genius of it and to interpret the monuments of them.

It contributed strongly, by its teaching and its writings with the progress of the Eastern studies and formed a great number of pupils, as well French as foreign, of which most famous was Jean-François Champollion. It was a man of a trade pleasant, accessible to all, obliging and always ready to give its support to the useful and generous ideas.

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