Bon-Joseph Dacier
Encyclopedia
Bon Joseph Dacier was a French historian, philologist and translator from ancient Greek. He became a Chevalier de l'Empire (16 December 1813), then Baron de l'Empire (29 May 1830). He also served as curator of the Bibliothèque nationale
.
. Dacier came to public notice in 1772 via his translation of the Histories of Claudius Aelianus
and the same year became an associate member of the Académie des inscriptions, becoming its president and perpetual secretary in 1782 and writing an account of the organisation's history from 1784 to 1830. He translated the Cyropaedia by Xenophon
(1777). He became a member of Paris's corps municipal in 1790 and led the imposition of the new system of contributions directes
, but refused Louis XVI's offer of the post of finance minister. After retiring to Seine-et-Oise
during the French Revolution
, he became a member of the Tribunat
in 1799. In 1800 he was made curator of manuscripts at the Bibliothèque nationale
and elected to the Académie des Sciences morales et politiques.
It was to Dacier that Champollion
sent his famous 1822 letter revealing his discovery of how to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Dacier was elected to the Académie française
in 1822 aged 80 (at the time of his election, he was the eldest member of the society). He was made a baron on 26 May 1830. Pierre-François Tissot, his successor in the Académie, said of him that "he had the sanest ideas on scholarship, and he unceasingly tended to give it a useful and philosophical direction. "Don't look for gold mines" he said to his brother-academicians and especially to their young emulators. [...] Nothing could be more dangerous than his elogies; they were believed like an epigram by Lebrun
. On the other hand, he liked to support the development of talent; after having the good luck of having found something, his greatest pleasure was to bring it to public light". Biographic notice n° 124, devoted to him on page 118 of Le premier siècle de l'Institut de France (1895), gives his name as "DACIER (Le Baron Bon, Joseph)". He is buried in the cimetière du Père-Lachaise (29th Division, 4th line, S, 33).
(of which he was a member). He also wrote several historical articles.
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
.
Life and work
After studying at the collège d'Harcourt, he became the student and assistant of Étienne Lauréault de FoncemagneÉtienne Lauréault de Foncemagne
Étienne Lauréault de Foncemagne was a French churchman and scholar.-Life and work:An Oratorian and professor, he was elected to the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres in 1722 and to the Académie française in 1736...
. Dacier came to public notice in 1772 via his translation of the Histories of Claudius Aelianus
Claudius Aelianus
Claudius Aelianus , often seen as just Aelian, born at Praeneste, was a Roman author and teacher of rhetoric who flourished under Septimius Severus and probably outlived Elagabalus, who died in 222...
and the same year became an associate member of the Académie des inscriptions, becoming its president and perpetual secretary in 1782 and writing an account of the organisation's history from 1784 to 1830. He translated the Cyropaedia by Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
(1777). He became a member of Paris's corps municipal in 1790 and led the imposition of the new system of contributions directes
Contributions directes
The contributions directes were a system of four taxes, also known as the quatre vieilles, set up under the French Revolution. They were all direct taxes, willingly voted into existence by vote of the deputies, by contrast with the Ancien Régime, which mainly relied on indirect taxes.Three of them...
, but refused Louis XVI's offer of the post of finance minister. After retiring to Seine-et-Oise
Seine-et-Oise
Seine-et-Oise was a département of France encompassing the western, northern, and southern parts of the metropolitan area of Paris. Its préfecture was Versailles and its official number was 78. Seine-et-Oise was abolished in 1968....
during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, he became a member of the Tribunat
Tribunat
The Tribunat was one of the four assemblies set up in France by the Constitution of Year VIII . It was set up officially on 1 January 1800 at the same time as the...
in 1799. In 1800 he was made curator of manuscripts at the Bibliothèque nationale
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
and elected to the Académie des Sciences morales et politiques.
It was to Dacier that Champollion
Jean-François Champollion
Jean-François Champollion was a French classical scholar, philologist and orientalist, decipherer of the Egyptian hieroglyphs....
sent his famous 1822 letter revealing his discovery of how to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Dacier was elected to the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
in 1822 aged 80 (at the time of his election, he was the eldest member of the society). He was made a baron on 26 May 1830. Pierre-François Tissot, his successor in the Académie, said of him that "he had the sanest ideas on scholarship, and he unceasingly tended to give it a useful and philosophical direction. "Don't look for gold mines" he said to his brother-academicians and especially to their young emulators. [...] Nothing could be more dangerous than his elogies; they were believed like an epigram by Lebrun
Pierre-Antoine Lebrun
Pierre-Antoine Lebrun was a French poet.Lebrun was born in Paris. An Ode à la grande armée, mistaken at the time for the work of Écouchard Lebrun, attracted Napoleon's attention, and secured for the author a pension of 1200 francs. Lebrun's plays, once famous, are now forgotten...
. On the other hand, he liked to support the development of talent; after having the good luck of having found something, his greatest pleasure was to bring it to public light". Biographic notice n° 124, devoted to him on page 118 of Le premier siècle de l'Institut de France (1895), gives his name as "DACIER (Le Baron Bon, Joseph)". He is buried in the cimetière du Père-Lachaise (29th Division, 4th line, S, 33).
Main works
Journals edited by Bon Joseph Dacier included the Journal des sçavans, and he also wrote on the history of the Order of Saint LazarusOrder of Saint Lazarus
This article concerns the order of knighthood named after Saint Lazarus. For other uses of the name Lazarus, see Lazarus .The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is an order of chivalry which originated in a leper hospital founded by the Knights Hospitaller in 1098 by the...
(of which he was a member). He also wrote several historical articles.
Translations
- Histoires diverses d'Élien le SophisteClaudius AelianusClaudius Aelianus , often seen as just Aelian, born at Praeneste, was a Roman author and teacher of rhetoric who flourished under Septimius Severus and probably outlived Elagabalus, who died in 222...
(1772). Online text : http://gallica.bnf.fr/document?O=N067827 - La Cyropédie, ou Histoire de Cyrus (by XenophonXenophonXenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
, 2 volumes, 1777)
Other
- Les chroniquesFroissart's ChroniclesFroissart's Chronicles was written in French by Jean Froissart. It covers the years 1322 until 1400 and describes the conditions that created the Hundred Years' War and the first fifty years of the conflict...
de Jehan FroissartJean FroissartJean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
(1788). Left incomplete due to the 1793 troubles - Rapport historique sur les progrès de l'histoire et de la littérature ancienne depuis 1789 et sur leur état actuel (1810). Reissued : Belin, Paris, 1989. - commissioned by Napoleon I of FranceNapoleon I of FranceNapoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
and published in 1810, remains a reference work for historians of the French Revolution. - Histoire et mémoires de l'Institut royal de France. Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (10 volumes, 1821-33)