Count of Permission - illiterate French writer (5 photos)

It turns out that there is a grain of truth in the old joke about the Chukchi writer. Because in history there was a writer who could not read. And write. That did not stop him from becoming famous and living a good life for his time.





Bernard Blouet, and later d'Arbert, who chose to name his great self such titles as Count of Permission (Permission) and Knight of the Thirteen Cantons, was born in 1566 in the village of Arber near Geneva.



The future celebrity began her life's journey from the humble position of a shepherd. And what other work could be entrusted to a boy who periodically had seizures and prophecies with revelations?

History is silent about exactly how, but one day the hero ended up in Paris. By this time, the capital already knew about the funny eccentric, and local aristocrats even fought for the right to shelter Bernard and show him off to the guests for amusement.





Bernard de Blue d'Arbert

What’s amazing is that his status as a fool made him an object of desire for aristocrats. And the man had no shortage of noble mistresses, who, as it turned out, were more interested in the title of cretin than a kind heart and a bright mind.

D'Arbert, who never bothered to learn to read and write, published his first book at the age of 34. Bernard distributed her and subsequent “fundamental works” in the form of as many as 180 brochures of frivolous content, which he dictated to hired scribes, through street vendors. Accompanying the brochures with explanations that he is only a modest voice, and through his lips the inspiration sent by the angels speaks.



Henry IV

This approach had its effect. One count provided the fabulist with money. Another duke presented a precious ring. King Henry IV himself pleased the creative eccentric with a gold chain and provided him with a boarding allowance in the amount of 100 francs a year.

Bernard even managed to dedicate personal books to famous personalities and sent them along with gifts.



17th century Paris

The illiterate author died in 1606 at the age of only 40. The plague did not spare Bernard, who devoted several days to frantic prayers to God asking him to stop the epidemic.

Critics confirm that the works of Count Permission that have survived to this day are boring and lengthy. But the example of an illiterate “writer”, for whose pamphlets connoisseurs pay more than for the works of Plato, Homer or Horace, clearly shows that in order to become famous, you do not have to be talented or even smart. Just being is enough.