Dieudonné Thiébault

Thiébault was brought up by the Jesuits who, struck by his keen intelligence, urged him to enter their order, which he did, without however receiving priesthood.

Thiébault was taught the humanities, and at the same time he devoted himself to literary work and wrote French and Latin poetry.

The first of these projects was rejected as unworkable, though it was later realized; the second so pleased Vidaud de La Tour, Director-General of the Library of France, that he appointed him head of his offices (1785).

During the Estates General of 1789, Thiébault received the privilege of creating the only newspaper which would be authorized to report on the assembly, and was charged, at the beginning of the Revolution, with the management of the Library of France.

Shortly after, he lost the various functions he held; but, as he was receptive to new ideas, he successively became inspector of rolls at Épinal , commissioner for the reunion of Tournaisis with France, director of a post office for horses, head of the secretariat of the Directory (1795), and president of the École centrale de la rue Saint-Antoine (which occupied the premises of the modern Lycée Charlemagne), where he taught grammar (1799).