The Centennial of P.-L. Courier

On April 10, 1825, a hundred years ago in a few days, Paul-Louis Courier was assassinated in his forest of Larçay, in Touraine, by peasants, his servants, whom Madame Courier had, knowingly or not, incited against her husband. The friends of the famous pamphleteer, who were recruited mainly from among the literate, proposed to celebrate this anniversary in Tours and Véretz, that is, in the places immortalized by "The Winegrower of La Chavonnière."

Too personal, too withdrawn, perhaps too selfish, this elite writer failed to create happiness around him, and he contributed to his own misfortunes; but destiny was harsh on him. As soon as the sweet years of his youth were gone, I saw the malevolence of fate relentlessly pursue him. First, it was this career as a soldier, pursued without success or glory, then shattered, at a time when such high military fortunes were being built. It was this ill-matched marriage; it was the repeated injustices of local authorities, the government, the Académie des Inscriptions, that rejected him. Finally, late in life, fame came to him, but at a high price through prosecutions, threats, the Assize Court, and imprisonment.
After so many trials, when only glory remained, there came the brutal revelation of his marital misfortunes, the shame of finding his servants masters of his wife's heart; then, there was his assassination, the terrible conclusion of his domestic woes.
Courier, so popular during the Restoration, and until 1848, has been too forgotten since the French conquered what he demanded for them, namely a regime of absolute liberty and equality. He remains a great name: but it seems to us that his works are read too little. Will it be said, to excuse this public indifference, that the subject of the Pamphlets is no longer relevant and no longer excites anyone? It would therefore be because the ideas he defended have completely triumphed that we no longer feel the desire to reread him. Is it enough for a writer to have won the cause brilliantly to soon fall into oblivion? Or rather, is Courier not the victim of certain grudges?

read more in the full newspaper