DESCHAMPS

deschamps, emile (1791-1871), french poet and man of letters, was born at bourges on the 20th of february 1791. the son of a civil servant, he adopted his father's career, but as early as 1812 he distinguished himself by an ode, _la paix conquise_, which won the praise of napoleon. in 1818 he collaborated with henri de latouche in two verse comedies, _selmours de florian_ and _le tour de faveur_. he and his brother were among the most enthusiastic disciples of the _cenacle_ gathered round victor hugo, and in july 1823 emile founded with his master the _muse francaise_, which during the year of its existence was the special organ of the romantic party. his _etudes francaises et etrangeres_ (1828) were preceded by a preface which may be regarded as one of the manifestos of the romanticists. the versions of shakespeare's _romeo and juliet_ (1839) and of _macbeth_ (1844), important as they were in the history of the romantic movement, were never staged. he was the author of several libretti, among which may be mentioned the _romeo et juliette_ of berlioz. the list of his more important works is completed by his two volumes of stories, _contes physiologiques_ (1854) and _realites fantastiques_ (1854). he died at versailles in april 1871. his _oeuvres completes_ were published in 1872-1874 (6 vols.). his brother, antoine francois marie, known as antony deschamps, was born in paris on the 12th of march 1800 and died at passy on the 29th of october 1869. like his brother, he was an ardent romanticist, but his production was limited by a nervous disorder, which has left its mark on his melancholy work. he translated the _divina commedia_ in 1829, and his poems, _dernieres paroles_ and _resignation_, were republished with his brother's in 1841.