Pierre Albéric Second, (17 June 1817 - 2 June 1887 6249
Acte n° 802 (p.13), registre des décès de l'année 1887 pour le 9e arrondissement sur le site des archives numérisées de la Ville de Paris. The acte specifies that Albéric Second was a bachelor.) was a 19th-century French journalist, novelist and playwright.

Biography

The son of a magistrate, Second felt no taste for law and began a literary career. He was successively assistant at ''

Le Charivari ''Le Charivari'' was an illustrated magazine published in Paris, France, from 1832 to 1937. It published caricatures, political cartoons and reviews. After 1835, when the government banned political caricature, ''Le Charivari'' began publishing ...

'', director of ''l'Entr'acte'', co-founder of ''la Comédie parisienne'', editor at ''

Le Figaro () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It was named after Figaro, a character in several plays by polymath Pierre Beaumarchais, Beaumarchais (1732–1799): ''Le Barbier de Séville'', ''The Guilty Mother, La Mère coupable'', ...

'', founder of ''Le Grand Journal'' with Hippolyte de Villemessant, and columnist at '' l'Événement'' before he took over the management of ''l’Entr’acte'' in 1870. During a short period between 1848 and 1850, Second was sub-prefect of the

Basses-Alpes Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (sometimes abbreviated as AHP; ; ; ), formerly until 1970 known as Basses-Alpes (, ), is a Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of France, bordering Alpes-Maritimes ...

department at

Castellane Castellane (; Provençal dialect, Provençal Occitan language, Occitan: ''Castelana'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region ...

. Awarded the

Legion of honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

in 1859, he was Imperial commissioner of the Théâtre de l'Odéon from 1865 to 1870. In 1869, Second was commissioned to write the words of the

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

sung at the Opera in honor of the centenary of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, which is remarkable only for its flat mediocrity. Gifted with a light spirit, a fun and easy skill, Second was especially appreciated for his columns. During the

Revolution of 1848 The revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the springtime of the peoples or the springtime of nations, were a series of revolutions throughout Europe over the course of more than one year, from 1848 to 1849. It remains the most widespre ...

, he composed a cantata in which each stanza ended with these lines:

Charles Monselet Charles Monselet (30 April 1825, Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 in ...

wrote this portrait of him:

Main publications

*1841: ''Lettres cochinchinoises sur les hommes et les choses du jour écrites à l'empereur de la Chine par trois Mandarins de première classe, traduites par Albéric Second, orientaliste du Charivari'' *1842: ''Les Mémoires d'un poisson rouge'' *1844: ''Les Petits Mystères de l'Opéra'', illustrated by

Paul Gavarni Paul Gavarni was the pen name of Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (13 January 1804 – 24 November 1866), a French illustrator, born in Paris. Early career Gavarni's father, Sulpice Chevalier, was from a family line of coopers from Burgundy. Paul b ...

*1845: ''Histoire politique et culinaire de Joseph Sansot, Propriétaire de l'Hôtel de la Paix'' *1853: ''La Jeunesse dorée par le procédé Ruolz'' *1854: ''Contes sans prétention'' *1855: ''La Part du feu'' *1856: ''À quoi tient l'amour, fantaisies parisiennes'' *1856: ''Les Demoiselles du Ronçay'' *1860: ''Paris au jour le jour'', with Hippolyte de Villemessant (2 volumes) *1862: ''Vichy-Sévigné, Vichy-Napoléon, ses eaux, ses embellissements, ses environs, son histoire'', suivi d'une notice scientifique et médicale sur les eaux minérales de Vichy par le Dr Casimir Daumas *1868: ''Misères d'un prix de Rome'' *1872: ''Un dîner chez Brébant'' *1872: ''La Semaine des quatre jeudis'' *1877: ''À la recherche d'un gendre'' *1879: ''Le Roman de deux bourgeois'' *1886: ''Le Tiroir aux souvenirs'' ;Theatre *1836: ''Trichemont fils'',

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

in 1 act, with Marc Michel, Théâtre d'

Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; ) is a small city in the southwestern French Departments of France, department of Charente, of which it is the Prefectures of France, prefecture. Located on a plateau overlooking a meander of ...

, 29 September *1839: ''Un dragon de vertu'', folie-vaudeville in 1 act, with Marc Michel, Paris,

Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques The Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques () was a theatre in Paris in the 19th and 20th centuries. Opened first in 1832 in the site of the old Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique on the Boulevard du Temple, under Frédérick Lemaître it became a noted ...

, 27 July *1839: ''Un neveu, s'il vous plaît'', folie-vaudeville in 1 act, with Émile Pagès, Paris,

Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique The (, literally, Theatre of the Comic-Ambiguity), a former Parisian theatre, was founded in 1769 on the boulevard du Temple immediately adjacent to the Théâtre de Nicolet. It was rebuilt in 1770 and 1786, but in 1827 was destroyed by fire. A ...

, 14 October *1842: ''La Peur du mal'', comedy in 1 act, mixed with distincts, with

Armand-Numa Jautard Armand-Numa Jautard was a 19th-century French playwright and chansonnier who died after 1872. he was still a member of the Société des auteur dramatiques in 1872. His plays were performed on the most important Parisian stages of the 19th century ...

, Paris, Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique, 31 March *1842: ''Le Droit d'aînesse'',

comédie en vaudevilles The ''comédie en vaudevilles'' () was a theatrical entertainment which began in Paris towards the end of the 17th century, in which comedy was enlivened through lyrics using the melody of popular vaudeville (song), vaudeville songs.Barnes 2001. ...

in 2 acts, with Louis Lurine, Paris,

Théâtre des Délassements-Comiques Théâtre des Délassements-Comiques () is a name that was used for a number of different theatres in Paris from 1785 to 1890. First (boulevard du Temple, 1785–1799) The first Délassements-Comiques was a small theatre on the boulevard du Templ ...

, 13 August *1854: ''La Comédie à Ferney'', comedy in 1 act and in prose, with Louis Lurine, Paris, Théâtre-Français, 15 July *1855: ''English spoken'', vaudeville in 1 act, with Auguste Joltrois, Paris,

Théâtre du Palais-Royal The Théâtre du Palais-Royal () is a 750-seat Parisian theatre at 38 rue de Montpensier, located at the northwest corner of the Palais-Royal in the Galerie de Montpensier at its intersection with the Galerie de Beaujolais. Brief history O ...

, 7 July *1869: ''Une vendetta parisienne'', comedy in 1 act, in prose, Paris,

Théâtre du Vaudeville The Théâtre du Vaudeville () was a theatre company in Paris. It opened on 12 January 1792 on rue de Chartres. Its directors, Pierre-Antoine-Augustin de Piis, Piis and Yves Barré, Barré, mainly put on "petites pièces mêlées de couplets s ...

, 11 February *1869: ''La Fontaine de Berny'',

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...

en 1 acte, music by Adolphe Nibelle, Paris,

Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique The Salle Favart (), officially the Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique (), is a Paris opera house and theatre, the current home of the Opéra-Comique. It was built from 1893 to 1898 in a neo-Baroque style to the designs of the French architect Louis ...

, 2 June *1872: ''Un maître en service'', comedy in 1 act, with Jules Blerzy, Paris, Théâtre du Gymnase, 8 September *1875: ''

Un mouton à l'entresol ''Un mouton à l'entresol'' is a one-act comedy by Eugène Labiche, in collaboration with Albéric Second, premiered at the théâtre du Palais-Royal The Théâtre du Palais-Royal () is a 750-seat Parisian theatre at 38 rue de Montpensier ...

'', comedy in 1 act, with

Eugène Labiche Eugène Marin Labiche (; 6 May 181522 January 1888) was a French dramatist. He remains famous for his contribution to the vaudeville genre and his passionate and domestic pochades. In the 1860s, he reached his peak with a series of successe ...

, Paris, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, 30 April *1878: ''Un baiser anonyme'', comedy in 1 act and in prose, with Jules Blerzy, Comédie-Française *1882: ''La Vicomtesse Alice'', drama in 5 acts and 8 tableaux, with

Léon Beauvallet Léon Beauvallet, full name Pierre-Léon-Charles Beauvallet, (22 August 1828 – 22 March 1885) was a 19th-century French actor, playwright and novelist. Author of numerous plays, most of them written in collaboration, as well as feuilletons p ...

, Paris, Théâtre des Nations, 28 September *1883: ''La Vie facile'', comedy in 3 acts, with Paul Ferrier, Paris, Théâtre du Vaudeville, 19 May *1885: ''Coup de soleil'', comedy in 1 act, with Théodore de Grave, Paris, Théâtre de l'Odéon, 28 October

References

Sources

*Camille Dreyfus, ''La Grande Encyclopédie, inventaire raisonné des sciences, des lettres et des arts'', 1885-1902, vol. XXIX, p. 859. *Pierre Larousse, ''Grand Dictionnaire universel du XIXe siècle'', vol. XIV, 1875, p. 451-452. {{DEFAULTSORT:Second, Alberic 19th-century French journalists French male journalists 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights Writers from Angoulême 1817 births 1887 deaths 19th-century French male writers