Jean de La Bruyère

Jean de La Bruyère was a renowned French writer and moralist born on August 16, 1645, in Paris, France. He pursued his education in law and classical literature at the University of Orleans, and later in Paris. After completing his studies, he worked as a private tutor in 1668, and two years later, he became the tutor to the sons of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the influential minister of finance under King Louis XIV. La Bruyère held this position for several years, which allowed him to gain access to the French court and the aristocracy, providing him with material for his later writings. His most notable work, “Les Caractères,” is a collection of moral reflections and character sketches that offer insights into the French society of the time. La Bruyère’s writings are known for their wit, satire, and critical observations of human behavior, and they continue to be studied and admired by readers and scholars today.

In 1683, he published his first book, “Les Oeuvres diverses” (Various Works), which included poetry, literary criticism, and translations. In 1688, he published his most famous work, “Les Caractères de Théophraste traduits du grec avec les caractères ou les moeurs de ce siècle” (The Characters of Theophrastus Translated from Greek with the Characters or Manners of this Century), which was a collection of moral reflections and character sketches of the society of his time.

In 1691, La Bruyère was appointed to the position of historiographer to the King Louis XIV. He held this position until his death in 1696. During these years he continued to write and publish works, including “Les Oeuvres diverses” (Various Works) which was a new edition of his first book. La Bruyère died in Paris on May 10, 1696 at the age of 51. His writings continue to be widely read and studied, and he is considered one of the greatest French moralists of the 17th century.

La Bruyère’s work is considered to be one of the masterpieces of French literature, and it continues to be widely read and studied today. His writing is characterized by its keen observation of human nature, its wit, and its irony. He influenced many writers and thinkers of his time and after, his writing style has been compared to that of La Rochefoucauld and La Fontaine. La Bruyère lived during the late 17th century, a time of great social, political, and cultural change in France. His writing reflects the society of his time, and it continues to be relevant today. He is considered as one of the greatest French moralists of the 17th century.

Jean de La Bruyère is considered special for a number of reasons:

• Literary Merit: His work “Les Caractères” is widely regarded as a literary masterpiece. His writing is characterized by its keen observation of human nature, its wit, and its irony, and it has been widely read and studied for centuries. It is considered a classic of French literature.

• Social and Cultural Commentary: La Bruyère’s work offers a unique and vivid picture of the society of his time, with keen and insightful observations of the vices and follies of the French aristocracy. His writing is full of wit and irony, which makes it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

• Psychological insight: He was able to observe and describe the behavior of the people of his time with an extraordinary precision and insight, which is why his work is still considered as a reference in understanding human nature. He was able to identify the flaws and virtues of people and gave them a voice in his work.

• Linguistic skill: His writing is notable for its elegant style, which is marked by its conciseness, clarity, and precision. He was able to use language in a way that is both simple and sophisticated, which makes his writing accessible to a wide range of readers.

• Historical significance: La Bruyère’s work is considered to be a document of great historical significance, providing a snapshot of the society of his time. His work reflects the social, political, and cultural changes that were taking place in France during the late 17th century, and it continues to be relevant today.

Jean de La Bruyère is known for his wit and his ability to observe human nature, and his work contains many memorable quotes. Some of his most famous quotes include:

• “The essential thing is not knowledge, but character.”

• “We can be honest with those we do not love, but it is difficult to be so with those we do.”

• “To be able to judge of others, one must have a great deal of penetration and of knowledge of mankind, and a great deal of vanity.”

• “There are a thousand ways of speaking well, and only one of speaking ill; a thousand ways of speaking suitably, and only one of speaking improperly.”

• “Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed.”

• “Man is the only animal who causes pain to others with no other end than wanting to do so.”

• “The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.”

• “The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”