Jean-François MARMONTEL

Jean-François Marmontel (1723-1799) was a versatile writer of the Enlightenment: encyclopedist, storyteller, novelist, playwright, poet, historian, and grammarian. Arriving in Paris in 1745, he quickly befriended Voltaire, who became his protector and literary mentor. He contributed to the *Encyclopédie* and directed the *Mercure de France* (1758), establishing himself as a major intellectual figure. Elected to the Académie française in 1763, then appointed Royal Historiographer in 1771, he accumulated numerous distinctions. When his novel *Bélisaire* (1767) was condemned by the Sorbonne, Voltaire ardently defended him. A translator from English and Latin, Marmontel embodied a more moderate Enlightenment spirit than his illustrious friend. Their correspondence testifies to a sincere friendship and mutual admiration. After Voltaire’s death in 1778, he continued his literary work and became politically engaged, serving as a member of the Council of Ancients in 1797. His *Memoirs* offer precious testimony about the intellectual life of the 18th century.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​