Charles de Saint-Évremond

Charles de Saint-Évremond, born on April first, sixteen thirteen, was a multifaceted French figure known for his roles as a soldier, hedonist, essayist, and literary critic. His life was marked by a profound engagement with the philosophical and moral questions of his time, which he explored through his writings.

After the Peace of the Pyrenees in sixteen fifty-nine, Saint-Évremond faced exile due to his outspoken criticism of French policy. This led him to England in sixteen sixty-one, where he would spend the remainder of his life. Despite his exile, he continued to cultivate friendships and intellectual exchanges, contributing to the literary culture of his new home.

Although he wrote primarily for his friends and did not seek publication, some of his works were posthumously released. The first complete collection of his writings appeared in London in seventeen oh five, long after his death. His legacy is further cemented by his unique resting place; he is one of the few foreigners interred in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey.