Barbey d'Aurevilly, Jules-Amedée (1808-1889)

French novelist and critic. He was opposed to the realistic trends of the 19th century. Among his novels are Une vieille Maîtresse/The Old Mistress (1851), L'Ensorcelée/The Bewitched Woman (1854), and Les Diaboliques (1874; short stories). His critical writings include Les Oeuvres et les hommes du XIXe siècle/The Works and the Men of the 19th Century (26 volumes) (1860-1909) and Le Théâtre contemporain/The Contemporary Theatre (5 volumes) 1888-96.