Bernard de Fontenelle

BERNARD DE FONTENELLE (Rouen, France, 1657- Paris, 1757).
"Lettres galantes Monsieur Le Chevalier D'Her".
Printer: Jean Gothofroi Müller. Leipzig, 1764.
Original edition of the 18th century. It presents faults caused by the passage of time.
Measurements: 16 x 10 x 2.5 cm.
Bernard Le Bouyer de Fontenelle was an outstanding French writer, playwright and man of science. Born in Rouen, he belonged to a family of jurists and literati, being nephew of the famous playwrights Pierre and Thomas Corneille.
He received his initial training with the Jesuits of Rouen, who recognized his intellectual brilliance at an early age. He studied philosophy, physics and law, and although he briefly practiced law, he soon abandoned that career after a single experience in the courts. At the age of 17 he moved to Paris, where he began his literary career under the tutelage of his uncle Thomas Corneille, a contributor to the Mercure galant.
His initial foray into literature included the publication of verses in that newspaper, and later, his theatrical debut with the tragedy Aspar (1680), which was unsuccessful and was the object of ridicule in his time. However, this early failure did not stop his development as an author nor his later influence in the literary and scientific fields of the 18th century.