The love story of the Gauls. Bussa-rabuten

Roger de Rabuteen, Count de Bussy, called Bussa-Rabyuten, is one of the most literary gifted, witty, mocking and caustic authors of the 17th century. Some episodes of the biography of this cousin of the famous Madame de Sevigne themselves seem to be taken from an adventure novel. For his work “Love History of Gauls” - the satirical love chronicle of the French court in the manuscripts and underground publications during the beginning of the reign of King Louis XIV - he was at the same time the nickname “French Petronius”, and got it for more than a year in Bastilia, and the conclusion was concluded Just a few months later, the adoption of a widely famous writer at the French Academy (this happened in March 1665).

Composition “Love History of Gauls”, written for the entertainment of Bussy’s lover, Marquise de Mongla, is a vivid example of popular in XVII-XVIII centuries. Genre - “Roman a Clef). It gives the living, amazing portraits of contemporaries of the writer: King of Louis XIV, the Great Conde, the Great Mademoiselle, the Duke de Laroshfuko (the author of Maxim ”), the cardinals de Retz and Mazarin, the Duchess de Chevrez and De Longville, the Marshals and Delegville. De Sevigne, poet Bensesrad and many others. The then court and regulars of the Parisian salons did not even need clarification (“Key” placed in print publications), which of the characters namedly fictional names depicts: thanks to the author’s skill, everyone recognized the real faces for not flattering masks.

The author has repeatedly received the laudatory reviews of those who appreciated the grace and purity of style, as well as wit-in particular, writers of Labruyer and Saint-Eremon. And the Jesuits, who recognized the undoubted literary talent of Bussy, even expressed the desire to write critical remarks to Pascal's “Letters to the Provincial”. images and continuations both in prose and verses, had an indisputable impact on the further development of a realistic novel.

In addition to the “Love History of Gauls”, the book includes two more works of Bussa-rabuten: “A map of the country of frivolity” and “Maxims of love”, as well as other texts.

The publication is equipped with an article about the life and work of Bussy, notes, “key” (indicator of names), genealogical table, illustrations.