Louis Prat De
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a French poet and statesman; born in Educated statesman; born in Mâcon, France, Oct. 21, 1790. he spent 21,1790, Educated at the Jesuit School at Belley il at Belley he spent some years in traveling, devoting himself " ling, devoting himself chiefly to poetry. "Poetical Musings Poetical Musings" (1820), gave him a high place among married a high place among the poets of the day. In 1820 he In 1820 he married a rich English lady, Eliza Marianna " (1823), ady, Ehza Marianna ical Musings" (1823) Birch. "New Poetical Musings Religious Harmonies" and "Poetical Religious Harmonies" his poetic fame, and (1828) established his poetic fame, and the French he was elected member of mber of the French After the revolution Academy (1830). After the revolution and on of July he traveled in the East, in the East, and on his return published "Journey in the hed "Journey in the his absence he East" (1835). During his absence he the Chamhad been elected a member of of the Chamber of Deputies, and thenceforward was thenceforward was active in politics. In 1847 he published After 1847 he published Girondina" After his "History of the Girondins." he bethe February revolution of 1848 in the lution of 1948 he became minister of foreign affairs provisional government. After the inlost his ent. Aster the insurrection of June, 1848, he from 1816, be lost his popularity, and in 1851 withdrew im- 1861 withdrew from public life. He was latterly much atterly much impoverished, and was voted an annuity are: voted an annuity in 1867. Among his later works orks are: "History of the Restoration," "History ,' "History of Turkey," "History of Russia Russia," "Shakespeare and His Work," "Life of " ap- His Work," "Life of His "Memoirs" apthe Tasso," etc. His "Memoirs peared in 1871. He died in Paris, March He died in Paris, March 1, 1869.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
The garbled headword hides a familiar name: this is Alphonse de Lamartine, whose full style was Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine. Nothing in Collier's 1921 outline of his life needs correcting — the Mâcon birth in 1790, the "Poetical Musings" (Méditations poétiques) of 1820, the Academy, the foreign ministry of 1848, the ruinous debts and the state annuity of 1867 all stand. What has shifted is the balance of his fame. The dozens of volumes of hack history he wrote to pay creditors — the Turkey, the Russia, the Restoration — are unread today, while a handful of the 1820 poems, above all "Le Lac," and his role in proclaiming the Second Republic in February 1848 are what keeps him in French schoolbooks; modern reference works give his death as 28 February 1869 rather than 1 March.
Written for this edition, 2026.