François Henri Turpin
Encyclopedia
François Henri Turpin was a French
man of letters.
He was born at Caen
. He was first a professor at the university of his native town, then went to seek his fortunes in Paris
, where he made some stir in philosophical circles, and especially in that of the magnificent Helvetius; but he was only able to earn a livelihood with difficulty by putting his pen at the service of the booksellers. He translated, or rather adapted from the English, Edward W Montague's Histoire du gouvernement des anciennes républiques (1768), and wrote a continuation of Father Pierre Joseph d'Orléans, Histoire des revolutions d'Angleterre (1786).
His Histoire naturelle et civile du royaume de Siam (1771) is an interesting but faulty adaptation of the observations of a vicar-apostolic who had lived for a long time in that country, and who accused Turpin of having misrepresented his ideas. His chief work, La France illustre, ou Le Plutarque français, contains the biographies of generals, ministers, and eminent officers of the law (5 vols, 1777–1790), in which, however, as La Harpe
said, he showed himself to be "ni Plutarque ni Français." He also wrote an Histoire des hommes publics tires du tiers etat (1789).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
man of letters.
He was born at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. He was first a professor at the university of his native town, then went to seek his fortunes in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he made some stir in philosophical circles, and especially in that of the magnificent Helvetius; but he was only able to earn a livelihood with difficulty by putting his pen at the service of the booksellers. He translated, or rather adapted from the English, Edward W Montague's Histoire du gouvernement des anciennes républiques (1768), and wrote a continuation of Father Pierre Joseph d'Orléans, Histoire des revolutions d'Angleterre (1786).
His Histoire naturelle et civile du royaume de Siam (1771) is an interesting but faulty adaptation of the observations of a vicar-apostolic who had lived for a long time in that country, and who accused Turpin of having misrepresented his ideas. His chief work, La France illustre, ou Le Plutarque français, contains the biographies of generals, ministers, and eminent officers of the law (5 vols, 1777–1790), in which, however, as La Harpe
Jean-François de La Harpe
Jean-François de La Harpe was a French playwright, writer and critic.-Life:La Harpe was born in Paris of poor parents. His father, who signed himself Delharpe, was a descendant of a noble family originally of Vaud...
said, he showed himself to be "ni Plutarque ni Français." He also wrote an Histoire des hommes publics tires du tiers etat (1789).