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This is a collection of satirical prose with rich vocabulary, many changes and sophisticated techniques. It is composed of short chapters in the style of proverbs and close-ups that outline portraits of certain typical characters. It is an epoch-making masterpiece of prose in French literature. The writing style is concise, the vocabulary is rich, and the sentences are very short. It uses a line drawing technique to describe the world and human feelings. "A Theory of Character" is the only work of La Bruyère's life. From its publication to the death of the author, nine editions were published in eight years. Every time it was reprinted, there were additions, deletions and revisions. The content of the ninth edition tripled that of the first edition.