François Maynard
Encyclopedia
François Maynard, sometimes seen as "de Maynard" (1582 - 23 December 1646) was a French
poet
who spent much of his life in Toulouse
.
. He became secretary to Margaret of Valois, wife of Henry IV of France
, for whom his early poems are written. He was a disciple of Malherbe, who said that in the workmanship of his lines he excelled Racan, but lacked his rival's energy.
In 1634 he accompanied the Cardinal de Noailles to Rome
and spent about two years in Italy
. On his return to France
he made many unsuccessful efforts to obtain the favor of Cardinal Richelieu, but was obliged to retire to Toulouse. He never ceased to lament his exile from Paris and his inability to be present at the meetings of the French Academy, of which he was one of the earliest members. The best of his poems is in imitation of Horace
, "Alcippe, reviens dans nos bois". He died at Toulouse in 1646.
His works consist of odes, epigrams, songs and letters, and were published in 1646 by Mann le Roy de Gomberville.
One of his famous poems is called "Le Nouveau Riche":
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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who spent much of his life in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Life and works
Maynard was born in Toulouse to a father who was conseiller in the parlement of the town. François was also trained for the law, becoming eventually president of AurillacAurillac
Aurillac is a commune in the Auvergne region in south-central France, capital of the Cantal department.Aurillac's inhabitants are called Aurillacois, and are also Cantaliens or Cantalous in Occitan....
. He became secretary to Margaret of Valois, wife of Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, for whom his early poems are written. He was a disciple of Malherbe, who said that in the workmanship of his lines he excelled Racan, but lacked his rival's energy.
In 1634 he accompanied the Cardinal de Noailles to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and spent about two years in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. On his return to France
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...
he made many unsuccessful efforts to obtain the favor of Cardinal Richelieu, but was obliged to retire to Toulouse. He never ceased to lament his exile from Paris and his inability to be present at the meetings of the French Academy, of which he was one of the earliest members. The best of his poems is in imitation of Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
, "Alcippe, reviens dans nos bois". He died at Toulouse in 1646.
His works consist of odes, epigrams, songs and letters, and were published in 1646 by Mann le Roy de Gomberville.
One of his famous poems is called "Le Nouveau Riche":
- Pierre who during his youth,
- Was a famous cobbler;
- Is superb of his richness
- And ashamed of his old trade.
- This fortunate merchant of boots
- Owns a park, close to my home,
- Of which the fountains and the grottos
- Are worthy of the houses of the king.
- I am confused when I think
- That he dug a canal there
- By which the magnificent expense
- would astonish the cardinal.