Paul Henri Mallet
Encyclopedia
Paul Henri Mallet was a Swiss
writer
.
He was born and educated in Geneva
. He became tutor in the family of the count of Calenberg in Lower Saxony
. In 1752 he was appointed professor of belles lettres to the academy at Copenhagen
. He was naturally attracted to the study of the ancient literature and history of Denmark
, his adopted country, and in 1755 he published the first fruits of his researches, under the title Introduction à L'histoire du Danemarch où l'on traite de la religion, des moeurs, des lois, et des usages des anciens Danois.
A second part, more particularly relating to Danish literature
, Monuments de la mythologie et de la poesie des Celtes, et particulierement des anciens Scandinaves, was issued in 1756, and was also translated into Danish
. A translation into English, with notes and preface, by Bishop Thomas Percy, was issued in 1770 under the title of Northern Antiquities (republished with additions in 1847).
The book had a wide circulation, and attracted much attention on account of its being the first (though a very defective) translation into French of the Edda
. The king of Denmark showed his appreciation by choosing Mallet to be preceptor of the crown prince. In 1760 he returned to Geneva, and became professor of history in his native city. While there he was requested by the czarina to undertake the education of the heir-apparent of Russia
(afterwards the Czar Paul I), but declined. A more appealing invitation led to his accompanying Lord Mountstuart in his travels through Italy
and thence to England, where Mallet was presented at court and commissioned to write the history of the house of Brunswick. He had previously received similar commission from the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) for the reparation of a history of the house of Hesse, and both works were completed in 1785.
The quietness of a literary life was rudely broken by the French Revolution
, to which he was openly hostile. His leanings to the unpopular side were so obnoxious to his fellow-citizens that he was obliged to quit his native country in 1792, and remained in exile till 1801. He died at Geneva.
A memoir of his life and writings, by Sismondi
, was published at Geneva in 1807. Besides the Introduction to the History of Denmark, his principal works are:
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....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
He was born and educated in 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...
. He became tutor in the family of the count of Calenberg in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
. In 1752 he was appointed professor of belles lettres to the academy at Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He was naturally attracted to the study of the ancient literature and history of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, his adopted country, and in 1755 he published the first fruits of his researches, under the title Introduction à L'histoire du Danemarch où l'on traite de la religion, des moeurs, des lois, et des usages des anciens Danois.
A second part, more particularly relating to Danish literature
Danish literature
Danish literature, a subset of Scandinavian literature, stretches back to the Middle Ages. Of special note across the centuries are the historian Saxo Grammaticus, the playwright Ludvig Holberg, the storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, and Karen Blixen who...
, Monuments de la mythologie et de la poesie des Celtes, et particulierement des anciens Scandinaves, was issued in 1756, and was also translated into Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
. A translation into English, with notes and preface, by Bishop Thomas Percy, was issued in 1770 under the title of Northern Antiquities (republished with additions in 1847).
The book had a wide circulation, and attracted much attention on account of its being the first (though a very defective) translation into French of the Edda
Edda
The term Edda applies to the Old Norse Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, both of which were written down in Iceland during the 13th century in Icelandic, although they contain material from earlier traditional sources, reaching into the Viking Age...
. The king of Denmark showed his appreciation by choosing Mallet to be preceptor of the crown prince. In 1760 he returned to Geneva, and became professor of history in his native city. While there he was requested by the czarina to undertake the education of the heir-apparent of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(afterwards the Czar Paul I), but declined. A more appealing invitation led to his accompanying Lord Mountstuart in his travels through 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...
and thence to England, where Mallet was presented at court and commissioned to write the history of the house of Brunswick. He had previously received similar commission from the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) for the reparation of a history of the house of Hesse, and both works were completed in 1785.
The quietness of a literary life was rudely broken by 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...
, to which he was openly hostile. His leanings to the unpopular side were so obnoxious to his fellow-citizens that he was obliged to quit his native country in 1792, and remained in exile till 1801. He died at Geneva.
A memoir of his life and writings, by Sismondi
Jean Charles Léonard de Sismondi
Jean Charles Léonard de Sismondi , whose real name was Simonde, was a writer born at Geneva. He is best known for his works on French and Italian history, and his economic ideas.-Early life:...
, was published at Geneva in 1807. Besides the Introduction to the History of Denmark, his principal works are:
- Histoire du Danemarch (3 vols., Copenhagen, 1758–1777)
- Histoire de la maison de Hesse (4 vols., 1767–1785)
- Histoire de la maison de Brunswick (4 vols., 1767–1785)
- Histoire de la maison et des etats du Mecklenbourg (1796)
- Histoire des Suisses ou Helvetiens (4 vols., Geneva, 1803) (mainly an abridgment of J von Müller's great history)
- Histoire de la ligue hanseatique (1805).