Arrested in Dresden in 1824 for Carbonarism, he spent six months in prison in Berlin, from where Hegel obtained his release; his course had already been suspended in 1821 for liberal opinions. Director of the École normale supérieure in 1834, then Minister of Public Instruction in 1840, he set the philosophy syllabus of the French lycées.
The story
Victor Cousin wrote the philosophy syllabus of French secondary schools: a whole generation recited it without knowing whose it was. Minister of public education in 1840, he had been running the École normale supérieure since 1830.
Born in Paris on 28 November 1792, he taught at the Sorbonne from 1815 — and saw his course suspended in 1821 for liberal opinions. In 1824 he was arrested in Dresden, suspected of belonging to the carbonari, the secret society then conspiring against the kings of Europe, and spent six months in prison in Berlin: it was Hegel who obtained his release.
Head of the eclectic school — every system of thought, he said, holds a share of the truth, and one must go in and take it — he edited Descartes and translated Plato: a work of transmission as much as of doctrine. He died at Cannes on 14 January 1867.
The inscription in Division 4 reads like a registry entry, in Roman numerals, and names three generations: his parents Joseph Cousin and Marie Henriette Grivelet, then their son Claude Victor. Two towns, two dates, and no title at all.
The grave
A family grave whose inscription, in Roman numerals, reads like a civil record: “Victor COUSIN, né à Paris le XXVIII novbre MDCCXCII – mort à Cannes le XIV janver MDCCCLXVII.” — born in Paris on 28 November 1792, died in Cannes on 14 January 1867. Three more names follow: “Joseph COUSIN et Marie Henriette GRIVELET sa femme. Claude Victor COUSIN leur fils.” — Joseph Cousin and Marie Henriette Grivelet his wife; Claude Victor Cousin their son. Neither the Ministry of Public Instruction, nor the École normale, nor eclecticism: two cities and two dates.
On site, do not miss
An inscription in Roman numerals, naming three generations: Victor Cousin, his parents Joseph Cousin and Marie Henriette Grivelet, and their son Claude Victor. No title, no office.
Visitors' questions
Where is Victor Cousin's grave?
In Division 4, avenue Principale, first row. The inscription gives his dates in Roman numerals — “né à Paris le XXVIII novbre MDCCXCII” — and names his parents too, Joseph Cousin and Marie Henriette Grivelet, along with their son Claude Victor.
Jean-Pierre DantanWhat is Cousin's eclecticism?
His doctrine: take the true wherever it is found, from Plato to Descartes. Head of the eclectic school and of French spiritualism, he edited Descartes and translated Plato — a philosophy of transmission as much as of system.
ColetteWhy was he imprisoned in Berlin?
For carbonarism: arrested in Dresden in 1824, he spent six months in prison in Berlin, from where Hegel obtained his release. It was not his first political trouble — his course at the Faculty of Letters had already been suspended in 1821 for liberal opinions.
Alfred de MussetWhat did he do as a minister?
Appointed to Public Instruction in 1840, he put his name to the philosophy syllabus of the French lycées, which a whole generation recited. He had run the École normale supérieure since 1830, and led the eclectic school besides.
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