Charles Augustin Saintebeuve

Vocation

Notable

Family

French poet, historian and the greatest literary critic of his time. His most important works are the "L'Histoire De Port-Royal," published in five volumes from 1840-1848. Born three months after his fathers death, he was educated in Paris and entered medical school in 1823. He began contributing articles to "Le Globe" and started his literary career abandoning his medical education. He became an enthusiastic member of the young romantics surrounding Victor Hugo. An autobiographical novel, "Volupte," appeared in 1834, which celebrated his liaison with Mme. Adele Hugo and broke up the friendship between Sainte Beauve and Victor Hugo. He was a professor at the College De France, honored early with a seat in the French Academy in 1844, and a senator in 1865. In 1849 he began to write a column that appeared in a Monday newspaper, "Le Constitutionel;" these famous articles were published as "Monday Conversations," 1851-1862. He died 10/13/1869, Paris. Link to Wikipedia biography