Lemaître was born inVennecy,Loiret. He became a professor at theUniversity of Grenoble in 1883, but was already well known for hisliterary criticism, and in 1884 he resigned his position to devote his time to literature. Lemaître succeededJean-Jacques Weiss as drama critic of theJournal des Débats, and subsequently filled the same office on theRevue des Deux Mondes. His literary studies were collected under the title ofLes Contemporains (7 series, 1886–99), and his dramatic feuilletons asImpressions de Théàtre (10 series, 1888–98).[1]
Lemaître's sketches of modern authors show great insight and unexpected judgment as well as gaiety and originality of expression. He was admitted to theFrench Academy on 16 January 1896. Lemaître's political views were defined inLa Campagne Nationaliste (1902), lectures delivered in the provinces by him and byGodefroy Cavaignac.[1]
Lemaître conducted a nationalist campaign in theÉcho de Paris, and was for some time president of theLigue de la Patrie Française.[1]The Ligue originated in 1898 with three young academics,Louis Dausset,Gabriel Syveton andHenri Vaugeois, who wanted to show that Dreyfusism was not accepted by all at the University.[2]They launched a petition that attackedÉmile Zola and what many saw as an internationalist, pacifist left-wing conspiracy.[3]Charles Maurras gained the interest of the writerMaurice Barrès, and the movement gained the support of three eminent personalities: the geographerMarcel Dubois, the poetFrançois Coppée and the critic and Jules Lemaître.[2]
Lemaître resigned from the Ligue de la Patrie Française 1904, and dedicated the rest of his life to writing.[1]He died inTavers, aged 61.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lemaître, François Élie Jules".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 408.
