Malherbe, François de

Malherbe, François de (fräNswä` də mälĕrb`), 1555–1628, French poet and critic, official poet of Henry IV and Louis XIII. His own poems approach technical perfection but lack verve and fire; the best-known is Consolation à Monsieur du Périer (c.1590). As a critic Malherbe had considerable influence on French literature. He consistently advocated objectivity, precision of language, and seriousness of purpose, ideals which were soon to be associated with classicism.

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Malherbe, François de

(born 1555, in or near Caen, France—died Oct. 16, 1628, Paris) French poet and theoretician. He converted to Roman Catholicism after receiving a Protestant education. In 1577 he became secretary to the governor of Provence, Henri d'Angoulême. His ode to the new queen, Marie de Médicis, made his name widely known, and he became court poet in 1605. His 200-odd surviving letters provide a picture of court life, and his commentary on the poetry of Philippe Desportes (1546–1606) reveal his principles of poetry: that it must demonstrate verbal harmony, propriety, and intelligibility.