About
Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues, born August 6, 1715, in Aix-en-Provence and died May 28, 1747, in Paris, was a French moralist and essayist. Born into an impoverished noble family, he served as an officer in the French army, participating in the War of the Polish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession. After suffering frostbite on his legs during the retreat from Prague in 1742, he was forced to leave the army in 1744. In 1746, he anonymously published his major work, Introduction to the Knowledge of the Human Mind, Followed by Reflections and Maxims, containing about 700 maxims.
* 1715-08-06 — † 1747-05-28
Major works
- Introduction à la connaissance de l'esprit humain, suivie de réflexions et de maximes (1746)essay and maxims
Key milestones
- 1742His legs froze during the retreat from Prague, leaving him disabled.
- 1744Leaves the army due to his disability.
- 1746Anonymously publishes his major work, Introduction to the Knowledge of the Human Mind.
Themes
Natural goodness of manPrimacy of sentiment over reasonCritique of pessimismExaltation of action and passionsMorality and virtue
Sources: britannica.com · id.loc.gov · oxfordreference.com