Perrault, Charles
Perrault, Charles (1628–1703),French writer, poet, and academician. He was born in Paris into one of the more celebrated bourgeois families of that time. His father was a lawyer and member of Parliament, and his four brothers—he was the youngest—all went on to become renowned in such fields as architecture and law. In 1637 Perrault began studying at the Collège de Beauvais (near the Sorbonne), and at the age of 15 he stopped attending school and largely taught himself all he needed to know so he could later take his law examinations. After working three years as a lawyer, he left the profession to become a secretary to his brother Pierre, who was the tax receiver of Paris. By this time Perrault had already written some minor poems, and he began taking more and more of an interest in literature. In 1659 he published two important poems, ‘Portrait d'Iris’ and ‘Portrait de la voix d'Iris’, and by 1660 his public career as a poet...
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