Jean Donneau de Visé was a French journalist, royal historian, playwright and publicist. He was founder of the literary, arts and society gazette "le Mercure galant" and was associated with the "Moderns" in the "Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns". Donneau de Visé was born in Paris. He was among the detractors of Molière during the quarrel over Molière's play "The School for Wives", accusing the author of obscenity and moral licentiousness. But Donneau de Visé eventually became reconciled with the comic playwright and contributed his own plays to Molière's acting troop, starting with la Mère coquette and several "machine" plays written in collaboration with Thomas Corneille -- Circé and la Devineresse -- which were very successful in their runs at the Hôtel Guénégaud. Donneau de Visé wrote a collection of short novelas: Nouvelles galantes et comiques. In 1672, Donneau de Visé founded the "Mercure galant", a gazette on the arts, theater and literature, which also included galant songs and society news and gossip. Although frequently denigrated by authors of the period, the periodical eventually became a financial success, and brought Donneau de Visé comfortable revenues. Wikipedia [ - ]

Jean Donneau de Visé was a French journalist, royal historian, playwright and publicist. He was... [ + ]