Le Cimetière marin (source: Le blog de Michel Croz)

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was an essayist, intellectual, journalist, philosopher,poet, fiction writer and polymath who was born 142 years ago today.was born 30 October, 1871 to afather andmother in(or) -- a small town in. There he attended school atbefore the family moved to nearby, where in 1889 he began studying law. At the same time he began writing Symbolist poetry, some of which was published in. Symbolism was in many ways a response to-- particularly inspired by the writings ofand. It particularly flourished in, andIn 1890, after completing his law studies, Valéry met Belgium-born poet. Louÿs introduced him to the writer, who in turn introduced him to France’s preeminent Symbolist poet –, whoseinspired’s wonderful symphonic poem of the same name (composed in 1894).In 1892, on the night of 4 October/morning of 5 October, Valéry suffered from what he described as an existential crisis. After that he attempted to devote himself to what he called la vie de l'esprit (“the the life of the spirit”). In doing so he would get up around 5 am and jot down his thoughts in a journal every morning which afforded him the right, he said, to afterward be stupid for the remainder of the day. These journal entries are considered by many to be his greatest written accomplishment, and several volumes were published as(1973),(1974), and(1987). The total length of the journals is about 30,000 pages.In 1894, Valéry moved fromtoand began working at the, claiming that being a poet was as useful to the state as being a good bowler. He published only two works during this period,(1895) and(1896). After his friend and mentor Stéphane Mallarmé died at the age of 56 in September of 1898, Valéry quit writing altogether for nearly twenty years.In 1900, he married, a friend of Mallarmé's family. In a double wedding ceremony at, Gobillard’s cousin (and daughter of’s and niece ofmarried painter. The union of Valéry and Gobillard ultimately produced three children:, andValéry’sfinally ended in 1917, when at 46-years-old he publisheda long poem which he’d begun some four years earlier at the encouragement of both Gide and the publisher. He wrote what many consider to be one of his finest poems,in 1920 and published(1920) and(1922). The first collection of his prose works,, was published in 1924. Ulitmately more volumes followed:(1930),(1936),(1938), and(1944).Valéry became famous in France as both a writer and public speaker and received loads of honors. In 1924 he became the president of. In 1925 he was elected to thein 1925 Valéry became a well-known public speaker and intellectual in France and to an extent, much of the rest of. In 1931, was named commander of theand the same year he founded the, still in operation today. On the 100th anniversary of the death of, Valéry gave the keynote address at aobservance of the occasion. In 1932 he joined the board of national museums. In 1933 he was made director of of what became the. More honors, titles and positions followed – many of which he was stripped by theas punishment for failing to collaborate with theValéry died in Paris on 20 July, 1945, shortly after the end of. He has honored with a state funeral and his remains are interred in Sète at the same cemetery celebrated in his poem "Le Cimetière marin." Check the bookshelves if you're interested in reading the man's words. Much of his writing has been translated into various languages but learn French -- it's pretty easy!