Editing Jean de La Bruyère (section)

==Early years==

Jean de La Bruyère was born in [[Paris]], in today's [[Essonne]] ''[[département in France|département]]'', in 1645. His family was [[middle class]], and his reference to a certain "Geoffroy de La Bruyère", a [[The Crusades|crusader]], is only a satirical illustration of a method of self-[[ennoblement]] then common in France, as in some other countries. As such, he signed his surname as '''Delabruyère''' in one word, as evidence of this disdain.{{sfn|Saintsbury|1911|p=30}}

La Bruyère could trace his family back on his father's side at least as far as his great-grandfather, who along with his grandfather had been dedicated members of the [[Catholic League (French)|Catholic League]].{{sfn|Saintsbury|1911|p=30}} His great-grandfather had been exiled from France when [[Henry IV of France|Henry IV]] came to the throne<ref>{{cite book|title=The "Characters" of Jean de La Bruyère|url=https://archive.org/details/charactersofjean00labriala|author=Jean de La Bruyère|location=London|publisher=John C. Nimmo|year=1885}}</ref> and Catholics fell into disfavor.

La Bruyère's father also had been active in the league under the Duke of Guise in 1584.<ref name="Rowe">{{cite book|title=The Works of Mons. De La Bruyere: The characters, or Manners of the age |author=Jean de La Bruyère |author2=Nicholas Rowe |publisher=J. Whiston & B. White |location=Fleet-Street London |year=1752 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6y9QiTEK1JAC&pg=PR7}}</ref> His father was controller general of finance to the [[Hôtel de Ville, Paris|Hôtel de Ville]], and despite the turmoil in the country, was able to pay for La Bruyère's education and to leave him a considerable sum as an inheritance.<ref name="Rowe"/>

He was educated by the [[Oratory of Jesus|Oratorians]] and at the [[University of Orléans]]. He was called to the [[Bar association|bar]], and in 1673 bought a post in the revenue department at [[Caen]], which gave him status and an income. His predecessor in the post was a relation of [[Jacques Benigne Bossuet]], and it is thought that the transaction of the change was the cause of La Bruyère's introduction to the great orator, [[Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet|Bossuet]], who, from the date of his own [[preceptorship]] of the [[Dauphin of France|Dauphin]], was a kind of agent-general for tutorships in the royal family, and, in 1684, who introduced La Bruyère to the household of [[Louis, Prince of Condé (1621–1686)]].{{sfn|Saintsbury|1911|p=30}}

La Bruyère became tutor to the prince's grandson, [[Louis, Prince of Condé (1668–1710)|Louis]], as well as to the prince's child-bride, [[Mlle de Nantes]], a natural child of [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]]. The rest of his life was passed in the household of the Prince or else at court, and he seems to have profited by the inclination that the entire [[Condé family]] had for the society of men of letters.{{sfn|Saintsbury|1911|p=30}}

Very little is known of the events of this part—or, indeed, of any part—of his life. The impression derived from the few notices of him is of a silent, observant, but somewhat awkward man, resembling in manners [[Joseph Addison]].{{sfn|Saintsbury|1911|p=30}}

His critical book, ''Caractères'' appeared in 1688. It garnered numerous enemies, but despite that, most notations about him are favorable—notably that of [[Claude Henri de Rouvroy, Comte de Saint-Simon|Saint-Simon]], an acute judge and one bitterly prejudiced against [[commoner]]s generally. A curious passage in a letter by [[Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux|Boileau]] to [[Jean Racine|Racine]] exists, however, in which the writer regrets that "nature has not made La Bruyère as agreeable as he would like to be."{{sfn|Saintsbury|1911|p=30}}