Sainte-Beuve, Charles Augustin

Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve (1804-1869) was a French literary critic and author best known for his articles in French reviews such as La Revue de Paris and La Revue des deux mondes .

Sainte-Beuve was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Département Pas-de-Calais to Augustine Coillot and Charles-François Sainte-Beuve on December 23, 1804. Because his father died three months before his birth, Sainte-Beuve was raised by his mother and aunt, Marie-Thérèse Cormier. He attended the Collège Charlemagne from 1818 to 1821 where he studied Greek and then the Collège Bourbon from 1821 to 1823. While at the Collège Bourbon, he also studied French, English, and German Romantic literature, as well as chemistry and physiology. After graduating in 1823, Sainte-Beuve enrolled as a medical student at the Hôspital Saint-Louis.

In 1824, Sainte-Beuve began writing for a literary review, Le Globe . He reviewed Victor Hugo's revised Odes et Ballades in 1827. This review led to his admission into Hugo's household and membership in La Cénacle. This was the start of a successful career. Sainte-Beuve was appointed conservateur at the Bibliotèque Mazarine in 1840 and was elected into the Académie Française in 1844. He was also awarded the cross of the Légion d'honneur in 1852 and was appointed to the post of sénateur by Napoleon III.

Sainte-Beuve died on October 13, 1869 at the height of his career.

• 1829: Vie, poésies, et pensées de Joseph Delorme ( Life and Poems of Joseph Delorme)
• 1830: Les Consolations
• 1834: Volupté ( Voluptuousness)
• 1836 - 46 : Critiques et portraits littéraires ( Literary Portraits and Critical Essays)
• 1837: Pensées d'août ( Thoughts of August)
• 1840 - 59 : Port-Royal
• 1844: Portraits de femmes ( Portraits of Women)
• 1846: Portraits contemporains ( Contemporary Portraits)
• 1851 - 2 : Causeries du lundi ( Monday Chats)
• 1861: Chateaubriand et son groupe littéraire sous l'Empire ( Chateaubriand and his Literary Set)

From the guide to the Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve Collection, 1851-1855, undated, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)