Jump to content

Edmé-François Mallet: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Corrected date of death.
Cloyd11 (talk | contribs)
165 edits
Partly I have tried to clear up the cumbersome English. I'm guessing this article started out as a translation. But I also tried to clear up the logic, and I tried to express more balance in the Rex-Kafker controversy in the final paragraph. For the future, I would like to change the spelling to "Edme" (no accent), since this is now standard in scholarship. But I don't know how to change the title of an article.
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|French writer (1713–1755)}}
{{Short description|French writer (1713–1755)}}
'''Edmé-François Mallet''', also abbé Mallet, (29 January 1713, [[Melun]] – 25 September 1755, [[Châteaurenard]]) was an 18th-century French theologian and [[Encyclopédistes|encyclopédiste]].<ref>[http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rde_0769-0886_1990_num_8_1_1057 Frank A. Kafker & Jacques Chouillet, Notices sur les auteurs des dix-sept volumes de « discours » de l'''Encyclopédie'', ''Recherches sur Diderot et sur l'Encyclopédie'' (1990), vol. 8, pp.&nbsp;101–102.]</ref><ref>[https://artflsrv04.uchicago.edu/philologic4.7/encyclopedie0922/navigate/6/2 ''Encyclopédie'' (1756), vol. 6, pp. iii–v.]</ref><ref>[https://data.bnf.fr/14566715/edme_mallet/ Edme Mallet, Bibliothèque nationale de France.]</ref>
'''Edmé-François Mallet''', also abbé Mallet (29 January 1713, [[Melun]] – 25 September 1755, [[Châteaurenard]]), was an eighteenth-century French theologian and [[Encyclopédistes|encyclopédiste]].<ref>[http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rde_0769-0886_1990_num_8_1_1057 Frank A. Kafker & Jacques Chouillet, Notices sur les auteurs des dix-sept volumes de « discours » de l'''Encyclopédie'', ''Recherches sur Diderot et sur l'Encyclopédie'' (1990), vol. 8, pp.&nbsp;101–102.]</ref><ref>[https://artflsrv04.uchicago.edu/philologic4.7/encyclopedie0922/navigate/6/2 ''Encyclopédie'' (1756), vol. 6, pp. iii–v.]</ref><ref>[https://data.bnf.fr/14566715/edme_mallet/ Edme Mallet, Bibliothèque nationale de France.]</ref>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Edmé-François Mallet first received his education by the country priest of his birthplace and later studied at the college of the [[Barnabites]] in [[Montargis]], before he went to Paris. There, he was tutor of [[Ange Laurent Lalive de Jully]] (1725-1779), a future {{Interlanguage link multi|Introducteur des ambassadeurs|fr|3=Introducteur des ambassadeurs|lt=Announcer of ambassadors}} as well as honorary member of the [[Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture]].<ref>Holzhey, Helmut; Mudroch, Vilem; Ueberweg, Friedrich; Rohbeck, Johannes: ''Grundriss der Geschichte der Philosophie: Die Philosophie des 18. Jahrhunderts.'' 2 Halbbde. Schwabe-Verlag, Basel (2008) {{ISBN|978-3-7965-2445-5}}, (p.&nbsp;289–290)</ref>
Edmé-François Mallet received his first education from the country priest in his home-town and later studied at the college of the [[Barnabites]] in [[Montargis]], before going to Paris. There, he tutored [[Ange Laurent Lalive de Jully]] (1725-1779), a future {{Interlanguage link multi|Introducteur des ambassadeurs|fr|3=Introducteur des ambassadeurs|lt=Announcer of ambassadors}} as well as honorary member of the [[Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture]].<ref>Holzhey, Helmut; Mudroch, Vilem; Ueberweg, Friedrich; Rohbeck, Johannes: ''Grundriss der Geschichte der Philosophie: Die Philosophie des 18. Jahrhunderts.'' 2 Halbbde. Schwabe-Verlag, Basel (2008) {{ISBN|978-3-7965-2445-5}}, (p.&nbsp;289–290)</ref>


He entered into license in 1742 at the Faculty of Theology of Paris and was an Associate in the House and Royal Society of Navarre. It was customary at the end of licenses, that the two first places went to the priors of Sorbonne, the following two to the most talented graduates and the fifth to the best student without diplomas. Mallet won fifth place unanimously. During his studies in Paris, he was also temporarily private teacher of the [[Ferme générale|Fermier Général]] [[Louis Denis Lalive de Bellegarde]] (1680-1751).
He entered into license in 1742 at the Faculty of Theology of Paris and was an Associate in the House and Royal Society of Navarre. It was customary at the end of licenses, that the two first places went to the priors of Sorbonne, the following two to the most talented graduates and the fifth to the best student without diplomas. Mallet won fifth place unanimously. During his studies in Paris, he was also temporarily private teacher of the [[Ferme générale|Fermier Général]] [[Louis Denis Lalive de Bellegarde]] (1680-1751).


In 1744 he returned by his family in Melun and remained seven years. In 1747, he published an ''Essai sur l’étude des belles-lettres''. After his mother's death in 1751, he moved back to Paris, and took a chair of theology at the [[Collège de Navarre]].
In 1744, he returned to his family in Melun and remained there for seven years. In 1747, he published an ''Essai sur l’étude des belles-lettres''. After his mother's death in 1751, he moved back to Paris and took a chair of theology at the [[Collège de Navarre]].


In 1753, he published an ''Essai sur les bienséances oratoires'' and ''Principes pour la lecture des Orateurs'' in three volumes. In 1754, appeared his ''Principes pour la lecture des Poëtes''. He also translated an ''Histoire de Davila'' which was published only after his death. He began to gather sources to address two major projects: ''Histoire générale de toutes les guerres de France de l’établissement de la monarchie jusqu’à Louis XIV'' and a ''History of the [[Council of Trent]]''.
In 1753, he published an ''Essai sur les bienséances oratoires'' and ''Principes pour la lecture des Orateurs'' in three volumes. In 1754, his ''Principes pour la lecture des Poëtes'' was published. He also translated a ''Histoire de Davila'', which was published only after his death. At this time, he began to gather sources to address two major projects: ''Histoire générale de toutes les guerres de France de l’établissement de la monarchie jusqu’à Louis XIV'' and a ''History of the [[Council of Trent]]''.


For the [[Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers|Encyclopédie]] by [[Denis Diderot]] and [[Jean le Rond d’Alembert]], he wrote more than a thousand articles with a focus on trading (over 500 articles), theology, history (about 600 ones) and literature (200) but died of angina well before the completion of the project. These articles reported information often from already given texts and reference works. Several of his articles with historical content were revised by [[Nicolas Lenglet Du Fresnoy]] and edited by [[Jean-François Marmontel]] for their literary aspect.
For the [[Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers|Encyclopédie]] by [[Denis Diderot]] and [[Jean le Rond d’Alembert]], he wrote more than a thousand articles, with a focus on trading (over 500 articles), theology, history (about 600 ones) and literature (200), but he died of angina well before the completion of the project. His articles represented compilations from previously published texts, including reference works. Several of his articles with historical content were revised by [[Nicolas Lenglet Du Fresnoy]] and edited by [[Jean-François Marmontel]] for their literary aspect.


== Controversies ==
== Controversies ==
If Abbé Mallet demonstrated a great erudition, his stance in theological articles and categorical tone can lead the reader to wonder why he was chosen as editor for this kind of texts, which were intended to relativize and even ridiculize religion. Indeed, Father Mallet seemed to show an orthodox mind for everything related to religion. He particularly manifested a fierce hatred for all heretical beliefs.
If Abbé Mallet demonstrated a great erudition, his stance and categorical tone in theological articles may lead the reader to wonder why he was chosen as a contributor for such articles when Diderot, the work's editor, sought to relativize and even ridicule religion. Indeed, Mallet demonstrated a strict orthodoxy and manifested a fierce hatred for all heretical beliefs.


It appears that Father Mallet was actually recommended by [[Jean-François Boyer]], the Bishop of Mirepoix, a bitter enemy of the [[Jansenist]] and the [[Philosophes]], and it is possible that Mallet was a [[Trojan Horse]] in his service. But it is also possible that he acted as a safeguard: If the ''Encyclopédie'' in its infancy had exceeded the limits of decency of the time in
It may be that Father Mallet was recommended as a contributor by [[Jean-François Boyer]], the Bishop of Mirepoix, a bitter enemy of the [[Jansenist]] and the [[Philosophes]], and it is possible that Mallet was a [[Trojan Horse]] in his service. But it is also possible that he acted as a safeguard: If the ''Encyclopédie'', early on, had gone beyond what was then acceptable in religion and theology, perhaps the project would have failed or encountered more problems than it did.
religion, perhaps the project would have had later many more problems that it actually had.


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 23:12, 14 March 2023

Edmé-François Mallet, also abbé Mallet (29 January 1713, Melun – 25 September 1755, Châteaurenard), was an eighteenth-century French theologian and encyclopédiste.[1][2][3]

Biography

Edmé-François Mallet received his first education from the country priest in his home-town and later studied at the college of the Barnabites in Montargis, before going to Paris. There, he tutored Ange Laurent Lalive de Jully (1725-1779), a future Announcer of ambassadors [fr] as well as honorary member of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture.[4]

He entered into license in 1742 at the Faculty of Theology of Paris and was an Associate in the House and Royal Society of Navarre. It was customary at the end of licenses, that the two first places went to the priors of Sorbonne, the following two to the most talented graduates and the fifth to the best student without diplomas. Mallet won fifth place unanimously. During his studies in Paris, he was also temporarily private teacher of the Fermier Général Louis Denis Lalive de Bellegarde (1680-1751).

In 1744, he returned to his family in Melun and remained there for seven years. In 1747, he published an Essai sur l’étude des belles-lettres. After his mother's death in 1751, he moved back to Paris and took a chair of theology at the Collège de Navarre.

In 1753, he published an Essai sur les bienséances oratoires and Principes pour la lecture des Orateurs in three volumes. In 1754, his Principes pour la lecture des Poëtes was published. He also translated a Histoire de Davila, which was published only after his death. At this time, he began to gather sources to address two major projects: Histoire générale de toutes les guerres de France de l’établissement de la monarchie jusqu’à Louis XIV and a History of the Council of Trent.

For the Encyclopédie by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert, he wrote more than a thousand articles, with a focus on trading (over 500 articles), theology, history (about 600 ones) and literature (200), but he died of angina well before the completion of the project. His articles represented compilations from previously published texts, including reference works. Several of his articles with historical content were revised by Nicolas Lenglet Du Fresnoy and edited by Jean-François Marmontel for their literary aspect.

Controversies

If Abbé Mallet demonstrated a great erudition, his stance and categorical tone in theological articles may lead the reader to wonder why he was chosen as a contributor for such articles when Diderot, the work's editor, sought to relativize and even ridicule religion. Indeed, Mallet demonstrated a strict orthodoxy and manifested a fierce hatred for all heretical beliefs.

It may be that Father Mallet was recommended as a contributor by Jean-François Boyer, the Bishop of Mirepoix, a bitter enemy of the Jansenist and the Philosophes, and it is possible that Mallet was a Trojan Horse in his service. But it is also possible that he acted as a safeguard: If the Encyclopédie, early on, had gone beyond what was then acceptable in religion and theology, perhaps the project would have failed or encountered more problems than it did.

References

  1. ^ Frank A. Kafker & Jacques Chouillet, Notices sur les auteurs des dix-sept volumes de « discours » de l'Encyclopédie, Recherches sur Diderot et sur l'Encyclopédie (1990), vol. 8, pp. 101–102.
  2. ^ Encyclopédie (1756), vol. 6, pp. iii–v.
  3. ^ Edme Mallet, Bibliothèque nationale de France.
  4. ^ Holzhey, Helmut; Mudroch, Vilem; Ueberweg, Friedrich; Rohbeck, Johannes: Grundriss der Geschichte der Philosophie: Die Philosophie des 18. Jahrhunderts. 2 Halbbde. Schwabe-Verlag, Basel (2008) ISBN 978-3-7965-2445-5, (p. 289–290)

Main works

  • 1747: Essai sur l’étude des belles-lettres
  • 1753: Principes pour la lecture des orateurs.
  • 1753: Essai sur les bienséances oratoires

Bibliography

  • John Rogister: Louis XV and the Parlement of Paris, 1737-55. Cambridge University Press (2010) ISBN 0-5218-9336-4 S. 241
  • Dorothy Caiger Senghas: The Abbé Mallet: contributor to the Encyclopédie. Davis, University of California (1968), Dissertation
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Edmé-François_Mallet&oldid=1144669032"