Complex sentence: These were still unpublished, but Rousseau had begun public readings from his book prior to his death on July 2 1778, and it was expected that they would now be published.The criticism of Rousseau was aimed at protecting his reputation in the eyes of posterity.
Split into simpler sentences: These were still unpublished, but Rousseau had begun public readings from his book prior to his death on July 2 1778, and it was expected that they would now be published. It has been suggested that the criticism of Rousseau was aimed at protecting his reputation in the eyes of posterity.