Nicolas Boileau

Nicolas Boileau (1636-1711), surnamed Despréaux, to distinguish him from his brother, was a French poet and a critic, born in Paris, brought up to the law, but devoted to letters, and considered one of the founders of French literary criticism. His principles of composition and criticism are found in didactic poem "L'Art Poetique (1674). He was also author of "Satires" and "Epistles," "Le Lutrin," &c., in which he attached and employed his wit against the bad taste of his time. He did much to reform French poetry, as Pascal did to reform the prose, and was for long the law-giver of Parnassus. He associated himself with La Fontiane, Racine, and Molière, and also imitated Pope and Horace.