Nicolas Chamfort (1741–1794) joined the Revolution as if he were joining a religious order. From the first events of 1789, he became a political actor who was as discreet in public as he was passionate behind the scenes. He immediately broke with the habits of a man of letters of the Ancien Régime. For example, he left the apartment given to him by his protector, the Count of Vaudreuil, to settle in the Palais-Royal, and he also committed himself to the abolition of pensions, even though they represented his main income. In this way, he became a bona fide revolutionary writer, primarily through his adoption of the revolutionary cause, but also through his dedication to modes of communication that were utterly foreign to the culture of the Ancien Régime. Specifically, Chamfort tried…
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Citation: Francès, Cyril. "Tableaux historiques de la Révolution française". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 June 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=38922, accessed 24 November 2024.]