Lucien-Anatole Prévost-Paradol
Encyclopedia
Lucien-Anatole Prévost-Paradol (8 August 1829, Paris - 20 July 1870, Washington, D.C.
) was a French
journalist
and essay
ist.
Prevost-Paradol was born in Paris
, France
, the son of an irregular liaison between the opera singer Lucinde Paradol and the writer Léon Halévy
. When Halévy later married Alexandrine Le Bas, his wife agreed to adopt the child who was brought up with their own children.
Prevost-Paradol was educated at the College Bourbon and entered the École Normale. In 1855 he was appointed professor of French literature
at Aix. He held the post barely a year, resigning it to become a leader-writer on the Journal des débats. He also wrote in the Courrier du dimanche, and for a very short time in the Presse.
His chief works are Essais de politique et de littérature (three series, 1859-1866), and Essais sur les moralistes français (1864). He was, however, rather a journalist than a writer of books, and was one of the chief opponents of the empire on the side of moderate liberalism
. He underwent the usual difficulties of a journalist under that regime, and was once imprisoned. In 1865 he was elected to the Académie française
.
The accession of Émile Ollivier
to power was fatal to Prevost-Paradol, who apparently believed in the possibility of a liberal empire, and consequently accepted the appointment of envoy to the United States
. This was the signal for the most unmeasured attacks on him from the Republican Party
. He had scarcely installed himself in his post before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
occurred. He shot himself at Washington on 19 July 1870, and later died.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) was a French
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...
and essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
ist.
Prevost-Paradol was born 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...
, 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...
, the son of an irregular liaison between the opera singer Lucinde Paradol and the writer Léon Halévy
Léon Halévy
Léon Halévy , was a French civil servant, historian, and dramatist.Born to a Jewish family, the son of the writer and chazzan Élie Halévy, Léon was the younger brother of the composer Jacques François Fromenthal Halévy.After finishing a course at the Lycée Charlemagne, Halévy became a disciple and...
. When Halévy later married Alexandrine Le Bas, his wife agreed to adopt the child who was brought up with their own children.
Prevost-Paradol was educated at the College Bourbon and entered the École Normale. In 1855 he was appointed professor of French literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
at Aix. He held the post barely a year, resigning it to become a leader-writer on the Journal des débats. He also wrote in the Courrier du dimanche, and for a very short time in the Presse.
His chief works are Essais de politique et de littérature (three series, 1859-1866), and Essais sur les moralistes français (1864). He was, however, rather a journalist than a writer of books, and was one of the chief opponents of the empire on the side of moderate liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
. He underwent the usual difficulties of a journalist under that regime, and was once imprisoned. In 1865 he was elected to the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
.
The accession of Émile Ollivier
Émile Ollivier
Olivier Émile Ollivier was a French statesman. Although a republican, he served as a cabinet minister under Emperor Napoleon III and led the process of turning his regime into a "liberal Empire".-Early life and career:Émile Ollivier was born in Marseille...
to power was fatal to Prevost-Paradol, who apparently believed in the possibility of a liberal empire, and consequently accepted the appointment of envoy to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This was the signal for the most unmeasured attacks on him from the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He had scarcely installed himself in his post before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
occurred. He shot himself at Washington on 19 July 1870, and later died.