Jacques Mallet du Pan
Encyclopedia
Jacques Mallet du Pan French
journalist
, of an old Huguenot
family, was born near Geneva
, the son of a Protestant minister.
obtained a professorship at Cassel. He soon, however, resigned this post, and going to London joined HSN Linguet in the production of his Annales politiques (1778-1780). During Linguet's imprisonment in the Bastille
Mallet du Pan continued the Annales by himself (1781-1783); but Linguet resented this on his release, and Mallet du Pan changed the title of his own publication to Mémoires historiques (1783).
From 1783 he incorporated this work with the "Mercure de France
" in Paris, the political direction of which had been placed in his hands. On the outbreak of the French Revolution
he sided with the Royalists, and was sent on a mission (1791-1792) by Louis XVI
to Frankfort to try and secure the sympathy and intervention of the German princes. From Germany he travelled to Switzerland
and from Switzerland to Brussels
in the Royalist interest.
He published a number of anti-revolutionary pamphlets, and a violent attack on Bonaparte and the Directory
resulted in his being exiled in 1797 to Berne. In 1798 he came to London
, where he founded the Mercure britannique. He died at Richmond, Surrey, on the 10th of May 1800, his widow being pensioned by the English government. Mallet du Pan has a place in history as a pioneer of modern political journalism
.
In 1771, at a time of mounting opposition to the oligarchic rule of the upper class, he wrote what was considered by the ruling council in Geneva to be an inflammatory pamphlet entitled 'Compte rendu de la défense des citoyens bourgeois'. It was condemned by the Council and burnt in the main square.
(1823-1890) also entered the civil service in the Board of Trade and rose to be a distinguished economist and a member of the Council of India
.
Mallet du Pan's was edited by A Sayous (Paris, 1851). See Mallet du Pan and the French Revolution (1902), by Bernard Mallet, son of Sir Louis Mallet, author also of a biography of his father (1900).
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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...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, of an old Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
family, was born near Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, the son of a Protestant minister.
Life
He was educated at Geneva, and through the influence of VoltaireVoltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
obtained a professorship at Cassel. He soon, however, resigned this post, and going to London joined HSN Linguet in the production of his Annales politiques (1778-1780). During Linguet's imprisonment in the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
Mallet du Pan continued the Annales by himself (1781-1783); but Linguet resented this on his release, and Mallet du Pan changed the title of his own publication to Mémoires historiques (1783).
From 1783 he incorporated this work with the "Mercure de France
Mercure de France
The Mercure de France was originally a French gazette and literary magazine first published in the 17th century, but after several incarnations has evolved as a publisher, and is now part of the Éditions Gallimard publishing group....
" in Paris, the political direction of which had been placed in his hands. On the outbreak of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
he sided with the Royalists, and was sent on a mission (1791-1792) by Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
to Frankfort to try and secure the sympathy and intervention of the German princes. From Germany he travelled to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and from Switzerland to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in the Royalist interest.
He published a number of anti-revolutionary pamphlets, and a violent attack on Bonaparte and the Directory
French Directory
The Directory was a body of five Directors that held executive power in France following the Convention and preceding the Consulate...
resulted in his being exiled in 1797 to Berne. In 1798 he came to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he founded the Mercure britannique. He died at Richmond, Surrey, on the 10th of May 1800, his widow being pensioned by the English government. Mallet du Pan has a place in history as a pioneer of modern political journalism
Political journalism
Political journalism is a broad branch of journalism that includes coverage of all aspects of politics and political science, although the term usually refers specifically to coverage of civil governments and political power....
.
In 1771, at a time of mounting opposition to the oligarchic rule of the upper class, he wrote what was considered by the ruling council in Geneva to be an inflammatory pamphlet entitled 'Compte rendu de la défense des citoyens bourgeois'. It was condemned by the Council and burnt in the main square.
Posterity
His son Jean Louis Mallet (John Lewis Mallet) (1775-1861) spent a useful life in the English civil service, becoming secretary of the Board of Audit (the Audit Office); and Mallet's second son, Sir Louis MalletLouis Mallet
Sir Louis Mallet was a British civil servant. He was Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India.He was born in London and was in all probability educated there, though at which school or college is not known. He began his career in the Civil Service as a clerk in the Audit Office and appears to...
(1823-1890) also entered the civil service in the Board of Trade and rose to be a distinguished economist and a member of the Council of India
Council of India
The Council of India was the name given at different times to two separate bodies associated with British rule in India.The original Council of India was established by the Regulating Act of 1773 as a council of four formal advisors to the Governor-General at Fort William...
.
Mallet du Pan's was edited by A Sayous (Paris, 1851). See Mallet du Pan and the French Revolution (1902), by Bernard Mallet, son of Sir Louis Mallet, author also of a biography of his father (1900).
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