Despériers, Bonaventure

Despériers, Bonaventure 

(also B. Des Periers). Born circa 1500, in Arnay-le-duc, Burgundy; died 1543 or 1544. French writer and humanist.

In his youth Despériers was a novice at a monastery. His book under the Latin title Cymbalum mundi (Cymbal of the World) was published in 1537. It contained four satirical dialogues in the style of Lucian, ridiculing both Catholicism and Protestantism. Despériers’ book was ordered to be burned, and he committed suicide. Despériers was also the author of the collection of stories New Diversions and Cheerful Talk (published in 1558), in which he ridicules monks, judges , charlatan doctors, and scholastics.

WORKS

Oeuvres françaises, vols. 1–2. Published by L. Lacour. Paris, 1856.
In Russian translation.
Kimval mira. Novye zabavy i veselye razgovory. Moscow-Leningrad, 1936.

REFERENCES

Istoriia frantsuzskoi literatury, vol. 1. Moscow-Leningrad, 1946. Pages 231, 233–38, 241–42.
Chenerière, A. B. Despériers … . Paris, 1885.