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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Voltaire Biography VOLTAIRE Francois Marie Arouet, eminent author, born in Paris, France, Nov. 21, 1694; died there May 30, 1778. He. was the son of Francois Arouet, an official of France and was named Voltaire from the estate of his mother. His education was entrusted to the Jesuits, and afterward he took a course in law, but soon abandoned the legal profession for a course in literature. In 1718 he published a tragedy entitled "OEdipe," which was his first highly successful production. Now popular as a writer and speaker, largely because of his wit and brilliancy, he became a favorite in the state society of Paris. At about that time he became known as Voltaire, but his career was temporarily checked by being imprisoned at the Bastille in 1726, owing to having challenged Chevalier Rohan to fight a duel on account of an insult. He was liberated after a few weeks, and at the invitation of Lord Bolingbroke visited England. The visit extended over a period of three years, a sufficient space of time to enable him to become acquainted with English literature and many noted men. George I. had died while Voltaire was in England, and on the accession of George II. his queen, Caroline, extended marked favors to the writer. His poem, "Henriade," had been published before returning to France, and brought him a fortune, thus enabling him to live quite independent at Paris until 1734, when he took up his residence in Lorraine. There he received distinguished favors from the marchioness de Chatelet, with whom he resided until her death in 1749, when he accepted an invitation of Frederick the Great to reside at his court in Potsdam, Germany. He remained at the Prussian court for three years, where his reception and early career was one of exceptional brilliancy, but later he became implicated in a series of disagreements and court quarrels. Soon after he retired from the court and took up his residence at Strasburg and Colmar. Subsequently he purchased the estate of Ferney, four miles from Geneva, where he resided about twenty years with his niece, Madame Denis. His life at Forney was one of notable activity in literature. It was there that many of his fine tragedies and historical works were produced, and his home became noted as a place where the most celebrated men of Europe visited. He maintained an extensive correspondence, which included literary intercourse with many of the noted scholars and princes of Europe, and wrote a number of criticisms, poems, and philosophical treatises. Louis XIV. having died, he was permitted to return to France, and on Feb. 10, 1778, was received at Paris after an exile of twenty-eight years. His reception was attended by great enthusiasm, not directly from the court, but the distinction shown came from the Academy and all classes of society. Voltaire lived the life of an atheist, opposed fanaticism and superstition, and denounced both priestcraft and Christianity. He completed his famous play, "Irene," after returning to Paris and witnessed its production on the stage, but died before the end of the year. He was buried at the abbey of Scellieres in Champagne, but the remains were removed to the Pantheon in 1791. The complete works of Voltaire have been published in ninety volumes, and may be said to cover almost every branch of literature. His most noted historical works include "Louis XIV.;" "Charles XII.," and "Peter the Great." Among his tragedies are "Merope;" "Zaire," and "Mahomet." His essays include "Manners and Spirit of Nations," and his philosophical novels, "Candide" and "Zadig." The Teachers' and Pupils' Cyclopędia, Vol. V (Kansas City: Bufton Book Co., 1909) 2041-2042. |