Jacques Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, French novelist, was born in Havre January 19, 1737, and died January 21, 1814, in Cragny. He spent three years as a government official in Mauritius, but returned to Paris in 1771 and turned to literature. His first book was one of travels, "Voyage a l'Ile de France," published in 1773, but it was a failure. This was followed by "fitudes de la nature" in 1784, which was quite successful. His best work is the story of "Paul et Virginie," published in 1787, and translated into several languages. He was superintendent of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris in 1792, and professor of morals at the Ecole Normale in 1794.

REFERENCE: "A Barine," Bernardin de Saint-Pierre. There is also an English translation.

Waverley Library (quarto). No. 113