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Emile Deschamps

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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EMILE DESCHAMPS (1791-1871), French poet and man of letters, was born at Bourges on the 10th of February 1791. The son of a civil servant, he adopted his father's career, but as early as 1812 he distinguished himself by an ode, La Paix conquise, which won the praise of Napoleon. In 1818 he collaborated with Henri de Latouche in two verse comedies, Selmours de Florian and Le Tour de faveur. He and his brother were among the most enthusiastic disciples of the cenacle gathered round Victor Hugo, and in July 1823 Emile founded with his master the Muse frangaise, which during the year of its existence was the special organ of the romantic party. His Etudes francaises etrangeres (1828) were preceded by a preface which may be regarded as one of the manifestos of the romanticists. The versions of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1839) and of Macbeth (1844), important as they were in the history of the romantic movement, were never staged. He was the author of several libretti, among which may be mentioned the Romeo et Juliette of Berlioz. The list of his more important works is completed by his two volumes of stories, Conies physiologiques (1854) and Realites fantastiques (1854). He died at Versailles in April 1871. His euvres completes were published in 1872-1874 (6 vols.).

His brother, Antoine Francois Marie, known as ANTONY