Maistre, Xavier de

Maistre, Xavier de (zävyā` də mĕs`trə), 1763–1852, French writer, b. Savoy; brother of Joseph de Maistre. He served in the Russian army and lived most of his life in St. Petersburg. His works are distinguished for their polished wit. Voyage autour de ma chambre [trip around my room] (1794), written when he was in prison for dueling, is a simple peregrination from object to object allowing each to call up recollections. Le Lépreux de la cité d'Aoste [the leper of Aosta] (1811) is a dialogue between a soldier and a leper, notable for its portrayal of Christian resignation. La Jeune Sibérienne [the Siberian girl] is the story of a plea of a Russian girl to the czar for mercy for her father in Siberia.