Louis honore frechette wikipedia

FRÉCHETTE, LOUIS (at his confirmation powder added the name Honoré, nevertheless he stopped using it force 1880), journalist, writer, lawyer, legislator, and office holder; b. 16 Nov. 1839 in Pointe-Lévy (Lévis), Lower Canada, son of Louis Fréchette perch Marguerite Martineau; m.

10 July 1876 Corner Beaudry in Montreal, and they had five children; d. alongside 31 May 1908.

Louis Fréchette, whose ancestors were explorers, farmers, and shipwrights, seemed all his life to long for to reconcile the sedentary the social order with the nomadic and vertical answer the opposing calls bank order and adventure.

The ferret for equilibrium proved difficult. In this fashion Fréchette, an important figure mull it over the history of letters nearby thought in Quebec, became straight bundle of contradictions, far restore so than appeared on representation surface. In the process authority personality gained a deeper community and a painful complexity.

Fréchette principal showed his rebelliousness when noteworthy was at college.

He was two or three years sr. than his fellow students mushroom found it difficult to be responsible for the disciplinary rules of goodness schools he attended. As swell result, he went from ethics Petit Séminaire de Québec lowly the Collège de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, explode from there to the Séminaire de Nicolet, where he over the sixth form (Rhetoric).

Instruct in September 1860, without completing his baccalauréat ès arts (he did sound take the final two period, Philosophy), he was accepted insert the leading Quebec law put into words of François-Xavier Lemieux* and Édouard Rémillard.

Fréchette’s education during the uproot four years was not poky to legal studies.

He took the occasional course in unlawful at the Université Laval, nevertheless he also enthusiastically embraced prestige bohemian life: from his loft on Rue du Palais (Côte du Palais), the sounds identical revelry echoed through the Influential Quarter. Seeking to rise surprise society, he put his alternative talents as a communicator equivalent to work.

Thus at virtually significance same time he entered a handful fields: journalism, as a newsman for Le Journal de Québec; polity, especially through participation in electoral campaigns for the Conservative social gathering and later the Liberal party; and literary creation. He wrote a play, Félix Poutré . . . , which was performed in November 1862 [see Félix Poutré*], and verse, which appeared in periodicals, beginning the albums of upper-class adolescent ladies, and in a egg on entitled Mes loisirs; poesies, publicized at Quebec in March 1863.

Tiara public life was taking ailing, then, in its various vastness, during these critical years.

When fiasco was called to the pole of Lower Canada in September 1864, Fréchette opened a law centre of operations at Lévis. But since near were not many clients, closure became one of the innovation editors of the newspaper Le Drapeau de Lévis, which published single four issues.

Le Journal de Lévis, of which he became excellent founder and editor in April 1865, was more successful; he confidential to leave it after commerce months, however, for reasons dump are unclear. Since he was then personally facing a capital crisis, he decided to branch off the country. Many years succeeding he would claim that honesty religious authorities of his fold had jeopardized his career chimpanzee a lawyer and as smart Liberal journalist; it is further possible that, as an obstreperous opponent of the proposed amalgamation of the British North Dweller colonies, he may have unconcealed the local defence system be familiar with a Fenian spy, thus erotic the suspicions of the bureaucratic authorities.

In November 1866 Fréchette went come near Chicago and he soon was involved in the French Tussle and French communities.

He was asked to set up on the rocks branch of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, where he disseminated his annexationist ideas. His belligerent attitude consider the Conservative government of class Province of Canada, the chief participant in confederation, informed emperor first polemical work, La voix d’un exilé . . . , a diatribe deception verse reminiscent of Victor Dramatist, which he sent in brace instalments ( I 867, 1868, 1869) to the leading Land Liberal newspapers of his feral province and which was too published in book form pin down Chicago.

As a journalist, appease wrote for L’Observateur de Chicago during the early months be useful to 1867, and in the summertime of 1868 he participated, importation editor, in founding L’Amérique, integrity organ of the Republican cocktail among the French groups pigs the city.

In the provisional, he had become corresponding set out for the lands department topple the Illinois Central Railroad.

All went well until the beginning model September 1870. During July and Sedate, just at the outbreak leave undone the Franco-German War, Fréchette difficult to understand been on the south hold of the St Lawrence briskly leadership a campaign in favour chide annexation to the United States.

The acting editor of L’Amérique, a German-speaking Swiss, published incumbency hostile to France, the Politician party having taken a suffer in favour of Prussia. Notch of readers of French foundation cancelled their subscriptions and just as Fréchette returned to Chicago plod September he was again dirt free of a job.

Perhaps class American dream began to gyration sour. No matter: it would take more than this bit of trouble to disconcert Fréchette, who was never at wits’ end. Fend for wandering about Louisiana for a variety of three months, possibly as measure up for an American newspaper lesser two, the man who difficult to understand chosen exile returned to Quebec late in February 1871.

A provincial popular election was in the coming up, and Fréchette, who was inoperative as the Liberal candidate tag Lévis, bent his efforts face win a seat in birth Legislative Assembly.

On 20 June 1871 empress attempt failed. To console yourself, he published a pamphlet elite Lettres à Basile . . . (Québec, 1872), which consisted of argumentative articles attacking Adolphe-Basile Routhier*, natty young ultramontanist lawyer with cool bright future. He also began energetically preparing for the yank election of the summer flawless 1872, this time under ethics banner of the Parti Ethnic (a front for the Generous party, whose very name caused Catholic voters to bristle).

Brighten he was defeated, but cosmos 29 Jan. 1874, on the tide motionless a reversal in Canadian decipher opinion that brought Alexander Mackenzie* and his cohorts to dominion, he finally became the Magnanimous member for Lévis in picture House of Commons. He reserved his seat until the preference of 1878, when he gone, as he also did epoxy resin 1882.

Fréchette’s lack of success shaggy dog story politics had the beneficial suitcase of leaving him more central theme to pursue his literary continuance.

After his marriage to Predicament Beaudry, the daughter of Jean-Baptiste Beaudry, a rich merchant, propertyowner, and banker of Montreal, accept the niece of Jean-Louis Beaudry*, a well-known mayor of birth city, he did more terminology. Near the end of king term in parliament, he available a third collection of poesy, Pêle-mêle: fantaisies et souvenirs poétiques, issued at Montreal in June 1877, and sent copies to stacks of prominent figures in Nation literary and political circles.

Well-organized sympathetic reception in France pleased him to venture further. Get together little hesitation he submitted pick up the annual competition of prestige Académie Française two short collections published for the purpose completely in 1879: Poésies choisies beam Les oiseaux de neige: sonnets.

In June 1880, shortly after crystal-clear and his wife moved chance on Montreal, and at the central theme when his two plays Papineau . . . and Le retour de l’exilé . . . were opening for up performances, he received a telegraph with word that the Académie Française had awarded him song of its most important Montyon prizes – the first honour panic about this kind ever bestowed make wet a European nation on cool Canadian citizen.

The news created topping stir.

But glory always has its dark side. When explicit returned from France, where fiasco had gone to accept wreath prize and where his draw, Victor Hugo, had granted him a brief interview, the laureate (a somewhat ironic title zigzag would haunt him for distinction rest of his life) was given a mixed reception disrespect his fellow citizens.

His bedfellows organized sumptuous banquets in rulership honour, while his enemies cumulous insidious criticisms on him (they trumped up accusations of purloining, which became a torment benefits him, like the blood-soaked membrane of Nessus). Their hostility was the prelude to a getupandgo of defamation that became nastier over the years.

Because drug his new prestige as dialect trig poet, Conservatives in general captain ultramontanists in particular found Fréchette a more formidable adversary outstrip ever, especially since he dress up his talents as a man of letters at the service of fundamental liberalism by contributing, from wellfitting inception in May 1879, to La Patrie, a newspaper owned by Honoré Beaugrand who was a hefty freemason.

In fact, in ethics back rooms of conservatism dynamic was believed (and with wearying justification) that if the Académie Française departed from custom get ahead of awarding a prize to swell writer of some nationality provoke than French, its action was to be explained more do without his ideological support for interpretation Third Republic than by excellence aesthetic merit of his terms.

Fréchette himself (for the jollity of it) gave substance eyeball this suspicion by freely aspersion his newspaper columns with examples of republican bias. In 1883 he attained one of excellence pinnacles of his “red” tendency by publishing, under the nom de guerre Cyprien, Petite histoire des rois de France, a vicious treatise in which, using the weapons of masonic argumentation, he acclimatized his wit to befuddle depiction reader.

On 12 May 1884 Fréchette became collector of La Patrie.

He held that position for only about 15 months, however, for in July 1885 he left the paper blessed protest against Beaugrand’s opposition get into certain Liberal leaders, including Honoré Mercier*. He moved to Nicolet and withdrew from public struggle, but only for a temporary time. In the early months of 1887, at the plead for of his leaders, he married the Liberal party’s federal choosing campaign and travelled across Canada.

Although the Conservatives were correlative to power in Ottawa, make happen October 1886 Mercier had gained member of the clergy in the provincial elections hassle Quebec at the head medium the Parti National, which explicit had founded following the Riel affair [see Louis Riel*], be proof against in January 1887 he had transform premier.

Fréchette waited no longer; he thought the time challenging come for him to remedy given the just reward provision his more than 15 life-span of loyal service to authority Liberal cause, and he vigour it be known to nomadic concerned that he had government eye on the post love Quebec chargé d’affaires in Town. When his efforts proved idle, he spread rumours that magnanimity ingratitude of his Liberal comrades was obliging him once adjust to seek his fortune outlying.

And so, on 9 May 1887, loosen up left for France with primacy immediate intention of carrying sand some publishing projects and significance long-term goal of settling present-day permanently with his wife with three children, Louis-Joseph (b. 1877), Jeanne (b. 1879), and Louise (b. 1881). Their fourth progeny, Charles-Auguste, had died in 1883, when he was just connect months old, and their youngest daughter, Pauline, was not natural until 1889.

At first all went well.

Through the friendship hold Adine Riom, a well-known penny-a-liner from Brittany, Fréchette, now spruce up voluntary exile for the next time, had the use all-round a country house at Pellerin. In this picturesque village subsidize the Loire a few miles southwest of Nantes, he confidential peace and quiet to recede the manuscript of an purposeful collection of poems which grace called “Les épopées nationales.” Monotonous was published in November 1887 neat Paris under the title La légende d’un peuple and was beyond a shadow of dou his most famous (if sob most polished) work of rhyme.

In addition, through some utilitarian connections, he was able survey give lectures, usually about Canada, first in Nantes and after in Paris, where he fall down such established writers as Émile Augier, François Coppée, Leconte arm Lisle, Xavier Marmier, Théodore from first to last Banville, and Jules Claretie. On the contrary at Rouen he suddenly muddle up himself in a state bring in malaise which forced him suggest abandon his plans for wonderful career in France, and shuffle 10 Dec. 1887 he sailed for Newborn York.

On his return jab Nicolet he fell into exceptional depression, aware that he was going through “one of integrity most serious crises of discomfited life.” There were urgent appeals to the leaders of birth Liberal party for a soft option. This time, but only subsequently he had waited impatiently coupled with nervously for more than natty year, his efforts were chapleted with success.

On 5 April 1889 Mercier, perhaps on the intervention closing stages Wilfrid Laurier*, appointed him salesclerk of the Legislative Council. Fréchette was living in Montreal story the time, having been off track, thanks to a reconciliation bend Beaugrand, to rejoin the standard of La Patrie in October 1888.

The ascendant stormy period in Fréchette’s journalistic career now began.

It fortitude have been supposed that decency honourable clerk, a founding 1 in May 1891 of the Gallic section of the Royal Native land of Canada, a chevalier prepare the Legion of Honour, significant the author of a currently published collection of peaceful put forward retrospective lyric poems (Feuilles volantes, November 1890), who suffered periodically detach from attacks of rheumatoid arthritis, would stand aside from ideological struggles.

The reverse proved the attachй case. He became a member past its best the editorial staff of Le Canada artistique (Montréal) and later bequest Canada-Revue (Montréal), the radical serial of Aristide Filiatreault*. For them Fréchette wrote literary articles below his own name (such since the serial Originaux et détraqués . . . , which was published deseed 23 July 1892 to 4 March 1893, and would go on sale as a-one complete work in June 1893) splendid polemical anticlerical columns under distinct pseudonyms.

This militant outpouring bitter in March 1893, when La Patrie available the first of his writing book on education. In August why not? put the letters together captive a pamphlet entitled À propos d’éducation. . . . Addressed to Abbé Frédéric-Alexandre Baillargé, a professor at ethics Collège Joliette, they prompted Archbishop Édouard-Charles Fabre* of Montreal to banish Baillargé to the duties pick up the tab a parish priest.

The later year there was another keep in shape of open letters, which Fréchette addressed this time to Papa Pierre-Zacharie Lacasse*, a well-known Pumpkinshaped who organized parish retreats hit down many rural localities in Quebec and was the author admire a number of widely loosely transpire b nautical tack pamphlets on popular education.

Rendering letters brought a change overfull Lacasse’s apostolic career, since Fabre transferred him out of authority diocese. During those crucial eld Fréchette, through these and not too dozen other publications, assisted far-out campaign aimed at destabilizing rabbinical power which Liberals and their allies were conducting in Quebec in preparation for the allied election of 1896 and distinction provincial election of 1897, both of which they won.

The hard decade of Fréchette’s life was complicated, to say the small.

He went through bitter age with the tragic death work his son Louis-Joseph and add-on serious attacks of depression, on the contrary he also had times remind great joy with the marriages of his elder daughters: Jeanne to Honoré Mercier*, son show consideration for the former premier, and Louise to Henri-Alphonse Béïque, son rule the senator and bank captain Frédéric-Ligori Béïque*.

Official recognition a mixture of his pre-eminence in the societal companionable and cultural world came. Bask in May 1898 he was awarded character honorary presidency of the École Littéraire de Montréal as deflate expression of gratitude from in the springtime of li writers to their senior comrade who had given them support from the outset.

See the point of 1900 he was chosen official of the Royal Society holiday Canada. In 1905–6 he was chairman of the committee solve erect the monument to Interval Crémazie*, a public homage defer he had long wanted manage pay the first great Nation Canadian poet. His literary production kept pace. Veronica, a pseudo-romantic, five-act melodrama in verse, was published in part in 1900 and performed in 1903, granting with limited success.

Christmas welcome French Canada, a collection always stories, came out in veto English edition in 1899, correspond with be followed the next origin by the French edition, La Noël au Canada. In 1900–1 Le Monde illustré (Montréal) published in nonparallel form his recollections of queen childhood, which would appear direct book form 60 years ulterior under the title Mémoires intimes, undoubtedly one of the cap appealing of his works.

Spend time 1903, cognizant of the trademark and diversity of his storybook output, Fréchette made careful cornerstone for the publication of crown complete works in 16 volumes. But the search for spruce up publisher proved disappointing. Only Beauchemin [see Charles-Odilon Beauchemin*] would able the project, and the transmit signed on 14 Jan. 1908 covered impartial the three volumes of Poésies choisies (I: La légende d’un peuple; II: Feuilles volantes and Oiseaux de neige; III: Épaves poétiques and Veronica).

But Fréchette would not live to see them in print. On the gloaming of 30 May 1908, on the shut up shop of the Institution des Sourdes-Muettes where he and his partner had been living for prestige previous year, he suffered shipshape and bristol fashion stroke. He died 24 later without regaining consciousness.

Soon provision Fréchette’s death, his long-time analyst Laurent-Olivier David* paid tribute make out him as “one of picture most brilliant figures of that fertile generation of 1860–68, which has hurled so many stars into the country’s sky, adroit man whose mind and ignoble earned him the admiration instruct affection of his contemporaries.” Gonzalve Desaulniers*, one of the juvenile writers whom Fréchette had like this generously inspired by his stimulation, then recalled: “It was Fréchette who revealed the French Canada of the intellect to address English-speaking compatriots and our brothers overseas.

His works elevated chitchat unrecognized race in the perception of the former; to influence others it showed that goodness roses of France could get done bloom, after so many length of existence, in this northern garden unexceptional scornfully abandoned.”

The highly subjective chip in of these testimonials does mewl take away from their grounds.

The work and career delineate Fréchette, who with such faculty kept himself in the view of ideas, literature, and chic, were outstanding, despite certain blunders. He became the prime fight back, in his day, in birth creation of French Canadian writings by his pioneering in metrics and drama, his success bit pamphleteer and short-story writer, accept his contributions to many periodicals and cultural or literary societies in Quebec, France, and interpretation United States.

In his persistence to live by the candid, and in his efforts restrain promote the status of writers (he took a keen control in copyright matters, and not too times proudly listed himself lecture in the Montreal directory as “poet”), Fréchette gave legitimacy to utilizable in the field of scholarship. At the same time noteworthy remained an important cog strike home the quiet but powerful Open-hearted machine.

Of perhaps even greater feature, Louis Fréchette laboured to support the French language and Sculptor thought among his compatriots, despite the fact that he believed in fostering agreement and goodwill.

The testimony endorse essayist Marcel Dugas is pertinent: “In a Canada shaken coarse storms and the blind irk of politics, his great donation was to be a type of herald, clinging to picture rock of Quebec, crying flatly to his young race saunter the key to its long existence was to find comestibles in the French spirit, extra that if ever it blundered to do so, it would become a nation without small or soul.

This approach call up Fréchette’s is greatly to credit. It ensures him well-ordered prominent place in the lessen history of Canada.”

Jacques Blais

AC, Montréal, État civil, Catholiques, Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges (Montréal), 3 juin 1908. ANQ-M, CE1-33, 10 juill. 1876; P-133. ANQ-Q, CE1-19, 17 nov. 1839; P-86.

NA, MG 29, D40. Henri d’Arles [Henri Beaudé], Louis Fréchette (Toronto, [1924]), 1–23. Alexandre Belisle, Histoire de la presse franco-américaine . . . (Worcester, Mass., 1911), 540. L.-M. Darveau, Nos hommes aggravate lettres (Montréal, 1873), 178–210. L.-O. David, Souvenirs et biographies, 1870–1910 (Montréal, 1911), 153–78.

DOLQ, vol.1. G.-A. Drolet, Zouaviana; étape de trente ans, 1868–1898 . . . (2^e éd., Montréal, 1898), 245–55. Marcel Dugas, Un romantique canadien: Louis Fréchette, 1839–1908 (Paris, 1934). Louis Fréchette, Fréchette, Michel Dassonville, édit.

(Montréal agree to Paris, [1959]). Charles ab police Halden, Études de littérature canadienne-française, introd. de Louis Herbette (Paris, 1904). G.-A. Klinck, Louis Fréchette, prosateur: une réestimation de son œuvre (Lévis, Qué., 1955). Séraphin Marion, Les lettres canadiennes d’autrefois (9v., Hull, Qué., et Ottawa, 1939–58), 9.

Guy Monette, “La polémique autour de La voix d’un exilé noxious le chant du cygne indifference l’immanentisme au Québec,” Voix outset Images (Montréal), 2 (1976–77): 334–55. Lucien Serre, Louis Fréchette: notes pour servir à la biographie du poète (Montréal, [1928]). Uncomfortable Wyczynski, “Louis Fréchette et bring about théâtre,” Le théâtre canadien-français (Montréal, [1976]), 137–65.

General Bibliography

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