Marmontel

Marmontel, Jean Francois (1723-99), a French writer and encyclopaedist, was born in Limousin and educated by the Jesuits of Mauriac. In 1745, on the advice of Voltaire, he came to Paris, and in the succeeding years produced several tragedies. He also contributed to the Encyclopedie a series of articles which were republished as Elements de Litterature, on which and his Contes Moraux (1761) his reputation rests. His Belisaire, an epic romance, was chiefly remarkable for a chapter which was censured by the Sorbonne for its advocacy of religious toleration. In 1783 he was appointed secretary to the Academie and historiographer of France. Marmontel was ruined at the Revolution, and died in a village near Evreux.