Claude-Henri de Fusée of Voisenon

Claude-Henri de Fusée, count de Voisenon , abbot of Jard (known as also the abbot of Voisenon) born with the castle of Voisenon close to Melun the July 8th 1708 where he died the November 22nd 1775, is a Man of letters French.

Biography

Of delicate health but endowed with a sharp intelligence, it was old only 11 years when it addressed an epistle in worms to Voltaire which thanked it and predicts to him a poetic career. It was the beginning of a friendship which lasted until the death of Voisenon without never contradicting itself. Because of his fragile health, Voltaire called it “expensive friendly Greluchon”.

Resulting from an big family, Voisenon had a fashionable youth, being interested in the theater and attending men of letters in the living room of its godmother, Mrs Doublet, where he knew Crébillon wire, Charles Pinot Duclos, Charles-Simon Favart and his wife, Justine.

In the capacity as junior, his family intended it at the ecclesiastical state, to which he resigned himself, one says, after a duel during which he had seriously wounded his adversary. It was ordered priest in 1739 and became large-vicar of the diocese of Boulogne, of which the bishop was then his uncle, Mgr Henriot. The bishop charged it with writing his mandements, into which Voisenon introduced, it appears, more epigrams than edifying thoughts. He was made love his diocesans who, died of the bishop in 1741, asked that he succeed to him. Voisenon precipitated in Versailles to require that it not be named: “How do they want, says it to the cardinal of Fleury, that I lead them, when I have such an amount of sorrow to act myself? ” It had win and however obtained the Abbaye of Jard, near Melun, and from which it was limited besides to touching the incomes, preferring to deal with theater.

Very widespread in the company of the letters, it was one of the principal members of the Société of the end of the bench of M {{lle}} Quinault and attended the living rooms of M Geoffrin and of Épinay. One saw it also much at the duke of Vallière in his castle of Montrouge, so that Voltaire called pleasantly it “Monseigneur de Montrouge”. Large amateur of good wine, good expensive and galantery, one said it lover of Mrs Favart. He wrote novels and tales libertines, rimait light poetries or on biblical subjects, and composed of the comedies in worms of which several had success and an opera ( Love and Psyché , 1760).

He refused the diplomatic station which offered to him the duke of Choiseul but accepted a pension of 6.000 books to compose of the historical Essais with the use of the grandsons of Louis XV. He was presented to Madam de Pompadour, near which he was not long in being in great favor, and the USA of his influence to help of the men of letters in the need.

Thanks to the protection of Voltaire, he was elected with the French Academy on December 4th 1762 to replace Crébillon father. In 1771, the duke of Pivot made it name Ambassador plenipotentiary of the prince-bishop of Spire. But, its health deteriorating, it withdrew in September 1775 with Voisenon for, said it, to be on one level with the burial of its ancestors. Indeed, it is there that he died on November 22nd. Voltaire composed for him a pleasant epitaph:

to lie Here, or rather frétille,

Voisenon, brother of Chaulieu.

With his MUSE sharp and nice

I do not claim to say good-bye,

Because I from go away to the same place,

Like junior by the family.

Works

The complete Œuvres of Voisenon were published by the countess Turpin de Crissé (1781, 5 vol. in-8°).

Dramatic works

the Happy resemblance , comedy in 1 act and worms, 1738
the School of the world , comedy in 3 acts and worms, represented with the Comédie-Française on October 14th 1739
the Return of the Shade of Molière , comedy into 1 act and worms, represented with the Comédie-Française on November 21st, 1739
matched Marriages , comedy in 3 acts and worms, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on February 10th 1744 (printed in 1746, in-8)
the Vain one fixed , comedy in 3 acts and worms, with Charles-Antoine Leclerc of Bruère and the duke of Resident of Nevers, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on March 10th 1746
the False prevention, comedy in 3 acts and worms, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on December 29th 1749
the Alarm clock of Thalie , comedy, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on June 19th 1750
Titon and the Dawn , pastoral heroic, music of Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, represented for the first time at the royal Academy of music on January 9th 1753
the Nest eggs , parody of the Orphan of China of Voltaire, into 1 act and worms, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on March 19th 1756
Annette and Lubin , comedy, 1756
Young person Greek the , comedy in 3 acts and free verse, 1756 (printed in 1762)
Small Iphigénie, parodies Large , represented for the first time by the Actors ordinary Italian of the King in July 1757
Love and Psyché , heroic ballet, represented for the first time by the Royal Academy of music on May 9th 1758
the parody in the Parnassus , Op3era Comique into 1 act, represented for the first time on the theater of the comic Opera of the fair Germain saint on March 20th 1759 (also allotted to Charles-Simon Favart)
Hilas and Zélie , pastoral in an act, music of Bernard de Bury, represented with Versailles on January 12th 1763
the Urgèle Fairy or What likes ladies , comedy in 4 acts interfered ariettas, represented with Fontainebleau on October 26th 1765
the disguised Lover, or the Gardener supposed , comedy into 1 act interfered ariettas, music of Philidor, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on September 2nd 1769.
Friendship with the test , comedy in two acts and worms interfered ariettas, music of Andre Grétry, represented in Fontainebleau on November 13rd 1770
Fleur d' Épine , comedy in 2 acts and prose, fray of ariettas, drawn from Hamilton, represented for the first time by the ordinary Italian Actors of the King on August 22nd 1776

Novels and tales

Zulmis and Zelmaïde , licencieux tale, 1745
Turlubleu, Greek history drawn from the manuscript gray-of-flax, found in ashes of Troye , 1745
the Misapouf Sultan and the princess Grisemine , novel, London, 1746, 2 vol. in-12
travelling Festivals and Regrets of the small streets , 1747
History of the Happiness , 1751
So much better for her, pleasant tale , 1760
Romance and Tales , 1767, 2 vol. - rééd. : 1775, 1798, 1818
light Tales follow-ups of the literary Anecdotes , Paris, E. Dentu, selected Library of the French and foreign masterpieces, 1885 (full text on the Gallica numeric library)

Others

the Code of the Lovers , heroic poem in three songs, 1739
Jews with the mountain of Oreb , biblical poem for the concert of sacred music, put in music by Mondonville, 1758
Furies of Saül , biblical poem for the concert of sacred music, put in music by Mondonville, 1759

References

External bonds

biographical Card of the French Academy
Its parts and their representations on site CÉSAR

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