Pierre-Robert Le Cornier de Cideville
Encyclopedia
Pierre Robert Le Cornier de Cideville (2 September 1693–5 March 1776), was a French magistrate
and scholar, co-founder of the Academy of Rouen
.
Cideville, who was born at Rouen
(Normandy
), the descendant by his mother, of the poet Chapelle, Boileau and Molière
's merry companion.
He succeeded his father in his position of councilor to the Parliament of Normandy. In addition to his assiduous study of law, he managed to dabble in music, painting and poetry, having, at age eighteen, won a prize at the Palinods Academy of Rouen.
Cideville was Voltaire's classmate at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand
, and the latter professed, fifty years later, that they still were friends. In fact, Voltaire held Cideville's literary judgment in such high esteem that he did not hesitate to submit his writings to his review. Voltaire even came to seek refuge at his home in 1730 when legal action had been taken against him for some of his works. He allegedly wrote Éryphile et La Mort de César during his stay in Normandy.
The correspondence of this major figure of the Enlightenment
in the provinces with Voltaire is a treasure trove for scholars of that era. Cideville possessed an epigrammatic talent which is evidenced in one of his letters where his recounts his pen-friend how Voltaire had to leave very hastily Déville
on the day a farmer he had cured from a fever, mistook him for a sorcerer.
Le Cornier of Cideville co-founded, along with Fontenelle
, the Academy of Rouen, and he drafted its charter. He also endowed Rouen with a tuition-free art school, which was to play a key role in the development of pictorial art in Normandy
, when he managed to persuade Descamps
, who was on his way to England
, to settle in Rouen instead before appointing him as its principal.
Although they never went into print, there exists, among the manuscripts he bequeathed, along with his extensive library, to the Academy of Rouen, a collection entitled Poésies diverses et curieuses. A second part of this collection entitled Journal depuis juin 1743 jusqu’en 1775, can be found, with a portrait of its author, at the Public Library of Rouen.
When Cideville died at Paris
, on 5 March 1776, his eulogy
was delivered at the Academy of Rouen by Jean-Baptiste Haillet de Couronne.
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and scholar, co-founder of the Academy of Rouen
Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Rouen
The Académie des Sciences, Belles-Lettres et Arts de Rouen is a learned society created by letters patent of Louis XV on 17 June 1744.The Academy of Rouen got its early start with a few friends with a common appreciation for botany who were in the habit of gathering in a small garden of the...
.
Cideville, who was born at Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
(Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
), the descendant by his mother, of the poet Chapelle, Boileau and Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's merry companion.
He succeeded his father in his position of councilor to the Parliament of Normandy. In addition to his assiduous study of law, he managed to dabble in music, painting and poetry, having, at age eighteen, won a prize at the Palinods Academy of Rouen.
Cideville was Voltaire's classmate at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
The Lycée Louis-le-Grand is a public secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in France. Formerly known as the Collège de Clermont, it was named in king Louis XIV of France's honor after he visited the school and offered his patronage.It offers both a...
, and the latter professed, fifty years later, that they still were friends. In fact, Voltaire held Cideville's literary judgment in such high esteem that he did not hesitate to submit his writings to his review. Voltaire even came to seek refuge at his home in 1730 when legal action had been taken against him for some of his works. He allegedly wrote Éryphile et La Mort de César during his stay in Normandy.
The correspondence of this major figure of the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
in the provinces with Voltaire is a treasure trove for scholars of that era. Cideville possessed an epigrammatic talent which is evidenced in one of his letters where his recounts his pen-friend how Voltaire had to leave very hastily Déville
Déville-lès-Rouen
-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St.Pierre, dating from the nineteenth century.* The ruins of a Rouen bishop's manor house dating from the thirteenth century.* A sixteenth century stone cross.-Notable people:...
on the day a farmer he had cured from a fever, mistook him for a sorcerer.
Le Cornier of Cideville co-founded, along with Fontenelle
Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle
Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle , also called Bernard Le Bouyer de Fontenelle, was a French author.Fontenelle was born in Rouen, France and died in Paris just one month before his 100th birthday. His mother was the sister of great French dramatists Pierre and Thomas Corneille...
, the Academy of Rouen, and he drafted its charter. He also endowed Rouen with a tuition-free art school, which was to play a key role in the development of pictorial art in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, when he managed to persuade Descamps
Jean-Baptiste Descamps
Jean-Baptiste Descamps was a French writer and painter of village scenes.Descamps was born in Dunkirk, but lived principally at Paris, till an accidental circumstance fixed him at Rouen, in 1740...
, who was on his way to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to settle in Rouen instead before appointing him as its principal.
Although they never went into print, there exists, among the manuscripts he bequeathed, along with his extensive library, to the Academy of Rouen, a collection entitled Poésies diverses et curieuses. A second part of this collection entitled Journal depuis juin 1743 jusqu’en 1775, can be found, with a portrait of its author, at the Public Library of Rouen.
When Cideville died at 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...
, on 5 March 1776, his eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
was delivered at the Academy of Rouen by Jean-Baptiste Haillet de Couronne.