Jean de La Bruyère

Jean de La Bruyère was born in Paris in 1645, into a bourgeois family. After studying law, he was called to the bar, then in 1673 bought the office of trésorier de France at Caen. On Bossuet's recommendation, he became tutor to the grandson of the Grand Condé and remained in the prince's household until the end of his life. Elected to the Académie française in 1693, he gave a reception speech there that was sharply criticised. He died at Versailles in May 1696.

In the catalogue 1

• EssayThe CharactersLes Caractères ou les Mœurs de ce siècleJean de La Bruyère · 1688LiteraturePublic domain