FRANCOIS DE

See also:

• FRANCOIS DE MAYNARD (1582-1646)

MAYNARD (1582-1646)  , French poet, was born at Toulouse in 1582 . His father was conseiller in the parlement of the town, and Francois was also trained for the law, becoming eventually president of Aurillac . He became secretary to Margaret of Valois, wife of Henry IV., for whom his early poems are written . He was a disciple of Malherbe, who said that in the workmanship of his lines he excelled Racan, but lacked his rival's energy . In 1634 he accompanied the Cardinal de Noailles to Rome and spent about two years in Italy . On his return to France he made many unsuccessful efforts to obtain the favour of Richelieu, but was obliged to retire to Toulouse . He never ceased to lament his exile from Paris and his inability to be present at the meetings of the Academy, of which he was one of the earliest members . The best of his poems is in imitation of Horace, " Alcippe, reviens dans nos bois." He died at Toulouse on the 23rd of December 1646 . His works consist of odes, epigrams, songs and letters, and were published in 1646 by Maria le Roy de Gomberville .