CONRART or CONRARD, VALENTIN 7 5 ), one of the founders of the French academy, was born in Paris of Calvinist parents. He was made councillor and secretary to the king; and in the year 1629 his house became the resort of men of letters. Cardinal Richelieu offered to give the society his protec tion, and in this way (1635) the French academy was created. Its first meetings were held in the house of Conrart, who was unanimously elected secretary, and discharged the duties of his post for 43 years, till his death on Sept. 23, 16 7 5. The most important of Conrart's works is his Memoires sur l'histoire de son temps, published by L. J. N. de Monmerque in 1825.
See also R. Kerviler and Edouard de Barthelemy, Conrart, sa vie et sa correspondance (1881) ; C. B. Petitot, Memoires relatifs a l'histoire de France, vol. xlviii.; and Sainte-Beuve, Causeries du lundi (July 1858) .