Paris: capitale de la culture by Robert Viau

Abstract

French readers. Finally, translations produced cultural transfers. In an intellectual world where French was the international language, the British had less need of translation than the French. When Louis XIV’s diplomats came to London to learn the English political system first-hand, they soon learned that they too needed translators. Pierre Des Maizeaux, the influential London-based Huguenot, was responsible for the translation of Anthony Collins’s controversial Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Human Liberty, a strong influence on French thought. Certain translators eliminated sections with which they disagreed, or interpreted them. An interesting example occurs where the translation of the word “commodities” in Hume implicitly signals the advent of modern capitalism. Although this volume is highly specialized, it can provide valuable information to all Enlightenment researchers. Because the space is limited to a short article, there are numerous references that will be unfamiliar to all but the most highly informed readers. Unfortunately, the articles cannot always discuss background material. This may discourage some researchers. As in the eighteenth century, the reader should be bilingual, since about half the essays are in French and half in English. The authors have all documented their work carefully with numerous archival sources which make it a valuable tool for further research. The material also sheds light on little-known aspects of Anglo-French relations, and introduces new personalities into the international landscape. Chestnut Hill College (PA) Mary Helen Kashuba VIAU, ROBERT. Paris: capitale de la culture. Québec: Muséologie In Situ, 2010. ISBN 9782 -9809019-3-5. Pp. 390. $29,95 Can. This book is based on the conviction that a tourist’s encounter with today’s Paris is enriched by acquaintance with encounters of those who came before. The project sprang from the author’s realization that undergraduate students who accompanied him to France exhibited the modern tendency to live solely in the present and to neglect the experiences of historical figures. Fortunately, some students wanted to know more, although others yawned and were content to move on. As a tagline under the subtitle says, this is a “guide pour touristes curieux,” for students and others who recognize the value of knowing how historical and literary figures experienced the monuments, museums, and neighborhoods which constitute today’s Paris. Viau believes that appreciation of contemporary culture cannot exclude knowledge of the past. He aims to give a sense of the long historical development of nine of Paris’s quartiers. This is achieved by compiling facts about an edifice’s use through the centuries and by relating episodes in the lives of wellknown figures who occupied the terrain where today’s tourist stands. He has assembled an impressive collection of information and literary allusions which add density and depth to our encounter with the major sites of the capital. The nine promenades may be approached in any order: the Île de la Cité, the Latin Quarter, the Marais, the Louvre/Champs-Élysées, the Right Bank, SaintGermain -des-Prés, the Faubourg Saint-Germain, Montmartre, and Montparnasse. The Marais demonstrates the importance of an awareness of history. The swamp outside the city was drained for cultivation by twelfth-century monks. It was subsequently annexed by the city and included inside its walls. Charles V established a residence there in 1358. With the creation of the Place des Vosges (former 384 FRENCH REVIEW 85.2 Place Royale) in 1612, the area took on new importance. Later, it was known for elegant hôtels nobiliaires and became the center of cultural life in the eighteenth century. After the Revolution, the area fell into neglect and decline until the 1960s, when restoration began. Today it is a vibrant center of residences, shops, and restaurants. Within the area, the church of Saint-Louis, dedicated in 1641, (today known as Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis following demolition of a neighboring church), was frequented by Madame de Sévigné; quotes from her letters add an immediacy to any visit. Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed the major part of his sacred music in this church between 1688 and 1698. The holy water fonts at the entry were a gift of Victor Hugo. In Les Misérables, the church is the site of the...