Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Quesnel, Joseph

QUESNEL, Joseph, author, b. in St. Malo, France, 15 Nov., 1749; d. in Montreal, Canada, 3 July, 1809. After finishing his studies, he shipped on board a man-of-war, visited Pondichery and Madagascar, travelled in Africa, and after three years returned to France. After resting a few months, he set out for French Guiana, and afterward visited several islands of the Antilles and explored part of Brazil. He then travelled in the valley of the Mississippi, and finally decided on settling in Canada. He married in Montreal, and resided in Boucherville. In 1788 he wrote “Colas et Colinette,” a vaudeville, which was played for the first time in Montreal. He followed with “Lucas et Cecile,” an operetta, “L'Anglomanie,” a comedy in verse, and “Républicans Français,” in prose, which was afterward published in Paris. Besides several songs, he composed sacred music for the parish church of Montreal, and some motets, and wrote a short treatise on the dramatic art (1805). The writings of Quesnel are in the first volume of the “Répertoire national.”