René Rapin
Encyclopedia
René Rapin was a French
Jesuit and writer
.
He was born at Tours
and entered the Society of Jesus
in 1639. He taught rhetoric
, and wrote extensively both in verse and prose.
, 1659), won him the title of the Second Theocritus
, and his poem on gardens, Hortorum libri IV (Paris, 1665), twice translated into English (London
, 1673; Cambridge
, 1706), placed him among the foremost Latin versifiers. Of his critical essays, the best known are: Observations sur les poèmes d'Homère et de Virgile (Paris, 1669); Réflexions sur l'usage de l'éloquence de ce temps (Paris, 1672); Réflexions sur la poétique d'Aristote et sur les ouvrages des poétes anciens et modernes (Paris, 1674).
He is also the author of several theological and ascetic treatises like De nova doctrina dissertatio seu Evangelium Jansenistarum (Paris, 1656); L'esprit du christianisme (Paris, 1672); La perfection du christianisme (Paris, 1673); La foi des derniers siècles (Paris, 1679). These books and many other pamphlets were collected in Oeuvres complétes published at Amsterdam
, 1709-10. Rapin's best titles to celebrity are his two posthumous works: Histoire du jansenisme, edited by Domenech (Paris, 1861), and Mémoires sur l'église, la société, la cour, la ville et le jansénisme, edited by Aubineau (Paris, 1865). The latter book is the counterpart of the Jansenistic
Mémoires de Godefroi Hermant sur l'histoire ecclésiastique du XVIIe siècle, edited by Gazier (Paris, 1905). Ste-Beuve
in his own Port Royal tries on every occasion to find Rapin at fault, but more recent studies on Jansenism show that he is, in the main, reliable.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Jesuit and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
He was born at Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
and entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1639. He taught rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
, and wrote extensively both in verse and prose.
Works
His first production, Eclogæ Sacræ (ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 1659), won him the title of the Second Theocritus
Theocritus
Theocritus , the creator of ancient Greek bucolic poetry, flourished in the 3rd century BC.-Life:Little is known of Theocritus beyond what can be inferred from his writings. We must, however, handle these with some caution, since some of the poems commonly attributed to him have little claim to...
, and his poem on gardens, Hortorum libri IV (Paris, 1665), twice translated into English (London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1673; Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, 1706), placed him among the foremost Latin versifiers. Of his critical essays, the best known are: Observations sur les poèmes d'Homère et de Virgile (Paris, 1669); Réflexions sur l'usage de l'éloquence de ce temps (Paris, 1672); Réflexions sur la poétique d'Aristote et sur les ouvrages des poétes anciens et modernes (Paris, 1674).
He is also the author of several theological and ascetic treatises like De nova doctrina dissertatio seu Evangelium Jansenistarum (Paris, 1656); L'esprit du christianisme (Paris, 1672); La perfection du christianisme (Paris, 1673); La foi des derniers siècles (Paris, 1679). These books and many other pamphlets were collected in Oeuvres complétes published at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, 1709-10. Rapin's best titles to celebrity are his two posthumous works: Histoire du jansenisme, edited by Domenech (Paris, 1861), and Mémoires sur l'église, la société, la cour, la ville et le jansénisme, edited by Aubineau (Paris, 1865). The latter book is the counterpart of the Jansenistic
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
Mémoires de Godefroi Hermant sur l'histoire ecclésiastique du XVIIe siècle, edited by Gazier (Paris, 1905). Ste-Beuve
Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve
Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve was a literary critic and one of the major figures of French literary history.-Early years:...
in his own Port Royal tries on every occasion to find Rapin at fault, but more recent studies on Jansenism show that he is, in the main, reliable.