''Les Égarements du cœur et de l'esprit ou Mémoires de M. de Meilcour'' (French: ''Strayings of the Heart and Mind, or Memoirs of M. de Meilcour'') is a novel by

Crébillon fils Crébillon is a French surname. Notable people with that name include: * Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon (1674–1762), French poet and tragedian * Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon (13 February 1707 – 12 Apri ...

, which appeared in three parts from 1736 to 1738. It is apparently unfinished, though critics differ on whether this was a deliberate decision of the author or whether he intended to finish it. It concerns the "education" of a rich young nobleman, M. de Meilcour, at the hands of characters including his first lover, the middle-aged Mme de Lursay; his mentor, the libertine Versac; the female libertine Mme de Sénanges; and his true love, the young and virtuous Hortense de Théville.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos (; 18 October 1741 – 5 September 1803) was a French novelist, official, Freemason and army general, best known for writing the epistolary novel ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (''Dangerous Liaisons'') ...

may have included an allusion to ''Les Égarements'' in his novel ''

Les Liaisons dangereuses ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (; English: ''Dangerous Liaisons'') is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu from March 23, 1782. It is the story of the Marquise de Merteuil and ...

'', in naming a minor character Vressac. The novel was translated into English as ''The Wanderings of the Heart and Mind'' in 1751, and by

Barbara Bray Barbara Bray (née Jacobs; 24 November 1924 – 25 February 2010) was an English translator and critic. Early life Bray was born in Maida Vale, London; her parents had Belgian and Jewish origins. An identical twin (her sister Olive Classe was al ...

as ''The Wayward Head and Heart'' in 1963.

Bibliography

* Title: Les égarements du coeur et de l'esprit; ou, Mémoires de Mr. de Meilcour * Author Claude-Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon * Editor Dufour, 1779 * 346 pages

References

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External links

Text at Google Books
1736 novels 1738 novels 18th-century French novels French romance novels Unfinished novels {{1730s-romance-novel-stub