Diderot and the Encyclopædists Volume II.   By: John Morley (1838-1923)

BY

JOHN MORLEY

VOL. II.

London

MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED

NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

1905

First published elsewhere

New Edition 1886. Reprinted 1891, 1897, 1905

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

OTHER DIALOGUES.

(1) The Conversations of a Father with his Children 1 Remarks upon it. (2) The Inconsistency of Public Judgment on Private Actions 8 Observations. (3) Supplement to Bougainville's Travels 14 Philosophical qualities of the discussion not satisfactory 19 Nothing gained by his criticism on marriage 21

CHAPTER II.

ROMANCE.

Digression inevitable in dealing with Diderot 24 Richardson's influence in Europe 26 Diderot's Éloge upon him 28 Rousseau and Richardson 29 Diderot writes The Nun (1796) 31 Circumstances of its composition 32 Its intention 33 And characteristics 35 Sterne 36 Diderot writes Jacques le Fataliste 37 Its history 38 Goethe's criticism on it 38 Nature of Diderot's imitation of Richardson and Sterne 40 No true creation in Jacques le Fataliste 41 Its unredeemed grossness 43 Its lack of poetry and of flavour 44

CHAPTER III.

ART.

The Salons 45 Qualities of their criticism 45 Deep foundation of Diderot's critical quality 46 French art criticism 48 Dufresnoy, Dubos, Webb, André, Batteux 48, 49 Travellers in Italy 50 Diderot never in Italy 52 Spirit of French art in his day 52 Greuze, Diderot's favourite 56 Greuze's Accordée de Village 57 Hogarth would have displeased Diderot 59 Diderot's considerateness in criticism 60 Boucher 62 Fragonard 62 Diderot adds literary charm to scientific criticism 63 His readiness for moral asides 65 His suggestions of pictorial subjects 68 His improved versions 69 Illustration of his variety of approach 72 Diderot's Essay on Painting 73 Goethe's commentary 73 Difference of type between Goethe and Diderot 76 Diderot's Essay on Beauty 78 His anticipation of Lessing 82 Music 83

CHAPTER IV.

ST. PETERSBURG AND THE HAGUE.