Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset

Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset (1709-1777) was a French poet and playwright. He entered the Society of Jesus in his youth and was ordained a priest. His most famous work, 'Vert-Vert', published in 1734, is a satire in verse on the customs of monks, told through the story of a parrot. The poem was initially poorly received by the Jesuits, which led Gresset to be sent to the Jesuit mission in Cayenne, French Guiana. However, he soon returned to France and was elected to the French Academy in 1744. Despite his initial success, Gresset gradually moved away from literature and devoted himself to religious and philanthropic activities. He died in Paris.