Charles-Albert Demoustier
Charles-Albert Demoustier (13 March 1760 – 2 March 1801) was a French writer. He falsely claimed to be a descendant of La Fontaine by his mother and Racine by his father.
Demoustier was born in Villers-Cotterêts. He worked as a lawyer, but later decided to become a writer. In 1786, he published the first part of Lettres à Emilie sur la mythologie. The sixth part was published in 1798.
These works, alternating prose and madrigal-like verses, were very successful.
Demoustier tried to edit Lettres à Emilie sur la mythologie, but the bookseller who owned the copyrights refused to let him do so, perhaps because he had a stock of earlier copies he wanted to get rid of first. Demoustier was unable to wait, as he died a painful, premature death, in Paris, soon after.
He also wrote comedies, among them:
- Conciliateur ou l'Homme aimable, in 5 acts and in verse, 1791
- Femmes, in 3 acts and in verse
- Alceste ou le misanthrope corrigé, in 3 acts and in verse
Demoustier also wrote libretti to some operas (e.g. Épicure, 1800), a Cours de morale, Opuscules and short Poèmes, 1804.
References
- Dictionnaire universel d'histoire et de géographie (Bouillet et Chassang), public domain.