The total failure of the tragedy Aspar in 1680 prompted Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle to burn the manuscript immediately, a pragmatic response from a man who would survive for a century. Born in Rouen in 1657, Fontenelle navigated the intellectual landscapes of France as an astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher during the unfolding Enlightenment.
Early Literary Pursuits
Educated at the Lycée Pierre-Corneille between 1664 and 1672, Fontenelle initially sought recognition as a poet. His early attempts to secure prizes from the Académie Française proved unsuccessful, yet he found success elsewhere. His 1683 work, Dialogue of the Dead, secured his literary rank, while his libretto for Thétis et Pélée, which premiered in 1689 at the Opéra de Paris, achieved acclaim.
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Fontenelle dedicated his career to the accessible treatment of scientific topics, famously defending the Cartesian tradition. In 1686, he published Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, an influential exploration of the universe. His 1687 book, Histoire des oracles, argued that oracles were not supernatural, a position that drew significant theological controversy.
Institutional Influence
In 1691, Fontenelle secured seat 27 of the Académie française, despite previous rejections from partisans of the ancients. In 1697, he became the Perpetual Secretary of the Academy of Sciences, a position he held until 1740. He utilized this role to produce sixty-nine éloges, including a notable biography of his uncle, Pierre Corneille. His professional reach extended globally as a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences.
Later Years and Legacy
Fontenelle remained active in Parisian intellectual circles well into his eighties and nineties. His later scientific output included Éléments de la géometrie de l'infini in 1727 and his 1752 work, Théorie des tourbillons, which supported Cartesian gravitational theories. He died in 1757 in Paris and was buried at Saint-Roch.
Fast facts
- Born: 1657, Rouen
- Died: 1757, Paris
- Educated: Lycée Pierre-Corneille (1664-1672)
- Academy of Sciences Secretary: 1697-1740
- Notable work: Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
- Burial site: Saint-Roch, Paris
- Membership: Royal Society, Académie française
Questions readers ask
What was Fontenelle's primary profession?
He was a multifaceted intellectual who worked as a writer, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer.
Why was his work considered influential?
He pioneered the accessible communication of scientific concepts, allowing the broader literate public to engage with natural philosophy.
Achievements
- Notable work: Dialogue of the Dead
- Notable work: Histoire des oracles
- Notable work: De l'origine des fables
- Notable work: Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
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