Paul Valéry
Paul Valéry, the French poet and essayist, was born in 1871 in the small town of Cette overlooking the Mediterranean. His childhood was made memorable by the light and sea of a coastwise village and by the magnificent architecture of Genoa, where he spent his vacations. Italy, whose language and literature he soon mastered, became his “other country.”After his military service, his friendship with André Gide, Pierre Louÿs, and Stephen Mallarmé became a pivotal influence in his career. He turned away from the study of law and began to contribute to the Nouvelle Revue. To his son, FRANCOIS VALÉRY, We are indebted for this intimate and perceptive portrait of a poet’s preoccupation, which has been translated for the Atlantic by Esther P. Shiverick.