author
Eugène Asse
1830–1901
A lively man of letters, journalist, and librarian, he devoted much of his work to bringing French literary history back into view. His books and edited collections show a lasting fascination with 17th- and 18th-century writers, letters, and salons.
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About the author
Born in Paris on March 25, 1830, Eugène Asse was a French writer, journalist, and librarian. He studied at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand and at the Faculty of Law in Paris before turning fully toward literary work.
He became known for essays, criticism, and carefully edited volumes connected with French literary history. Much of his work centered on the 17th and 18th centuries, and he helped revive interest in figures such as Madame de Tencin, Madame de Staël, and the world of old correspondence and memoirs.
Asse also served as a librarian at the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, a role that suited his love of archives and books. He died in Paris on February 1, 1901, leaving behind the reputation of a patient scholar and literary guide to earlier French culture.