JEAN

See also:

• BAPTISTE

BAPTISTE

See also:

• ALPHONSE, COUNT OF TOULOUSE AND OF POITIERS (I220-1271)

ALPHONSE

See also:

• JEAN BAPTISTE ALPHONSE KARR (1808-1890)

KARR (1808-1890)  , French critic and novelist, was born in Paris, on the 24th of November x8o8, and after being educated at the College Bourbon, became a teacher there . In 1832 he published a novel, Sous les tilleuls, characterized by an attractive originality and a delightful ' freshness of personal sentiment . A second novel, Une heure trop' lard, followed next year, and was succeeded by many other popular works . His Vendredi soir (1835) and Le Chemin le plus court (1836) continued the vein of autobiographical romance with which he had made his first success . Genevieve (1838) is one of his best stories, and his Voyage autour de mon jardin (1845) was deservedly popular . Others were Feu Bressier (1848), and Fort en theme (1853), which had some influence in stimulating educational reform . In 1839 Alphonse Karr, who was essentially a brilliant journalist, became editor of Le Figaro, to which he had been a constant contributor;• and he also started a monthly journal, Les Grapes, of a keenly satirical tone, a publication which brought him the reputation of a somewhat bitter wit . His epigrams were frequently quoted; e.g . " plus 9a change, plus c'est la meme chose," and, on the proposal to abolish capital punishment, je veux bien que messieurs les assassins commencent." In 1848 he founded Le Journal . In 1855 he went to live at Nice, where he indulged his predilections for floriculture, and gave his name to more than one new variety . Indeed he practically founded the trade in cut flowers on the Riviera . He was also devoted to fishing, and in Les Soirees de Sainte-Adresse (1853) and Au bord de la mer (186o) he made use of his experiences .

His reminiscences, Livre de bord, were published in 1879-1880 . He died at St

Raphael (Var), on'the 29th of September 189o .