La Harpe, Jean François de

La Harpe, Jean François de lä ärp [key], 1739–1803, French critic. He was the author of the monumental Cours de littérature ancienne et moderne, lectures he delivered after his appointment (1786) at a lycée in Paris. His judgments on the classical period especially have been borne out by time. He also wrote plays, commentaries (notably on Racine), and critical essays.

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