Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre first rose to prominence with the publication of his Études de la nature [Studies of Nature] (1784), a hymn to a Creator God whose providence was evident not only in the harmony and order of nature, but in human affairs as well. Although scientifically flawed, the Études revealed a talent for description and an ability to captivate and move that earned Bernardin his greatest success in the romantic novel Paul et Virginie [Paul and Virginia] (1788). His most significant contribution to the Revolution were the Vœux d'un solitaire [Wishes of a Solitary Man<…
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Citation: Reeve, Timothy. "Bernardin de Saint-Pierre". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 March 2008 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3905, accessed 22 November 2024.]