The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-29


Rousseau found himself. or rather, as
NJ. Lemaitre would put II, found out what
he wished TO become and TO be thought,
when in l7io, being then thirty-seven years
old. he decided 10 compete for the prize
offered by the Dion Academy for the best
answer TO the question. Whether the prog
Tess Of science and art has contributed TO
corrupt or 10 purify morals?' 1t is well
known that Rousseau obtained the prize,
In spite Of the fact that he imputed the COR
ruption OF morals, public and private, TO
the advance In science and art. In other
words. he took the side which his COM
petitors were almost certain 10 reject, and
thus assured TO his performance the charm
Of novelty. NJ. Lemaitre expresses the
opinion that this discourse on the corrupt
ing influence Of science and art is a piece
Of mere defamation, q rhetorical exer-
else. wherein a great lack Of logic and some
foollshneas are discernible. Rousseau was
not even the ~propounder Of the contrast be-
tween the supposed state Of natures inno-
oence and the vices Of civilization. Mon
teaquieu had suggested Il; so had Marivau1.
Moreover, although the theme was not origi-
nal, 1t might have been made more attrac-
tive by precise and convincing pictures, for
which there was then plenty Of material,
for never, perhaps, had high society been
20 perverted as In France about the middle
Of the eighteenth century. II not by Science
and art" In the proper meaning Of those
words, at least by the overrefnement Of
Az wal,A - ,.,IA,,rn IawaNnI awnlttaiyalA
to accomplishments. Such realistic pict-
aires we're not drawn, because Rousseau was
mo observer in the right sense Of the term.
How, then, did II como TO pass that the
effect produced by the discourse on Science
and Art should have been such that truth
fully IL could have been described as fol-
Flows; 1T was at that very moment that a
voice no longer young, and vet quite II,
known. arose. not from the depths Of deserts
Or forests. but from the very heart Of a
highly civilized society, Of those academies
Sof that philosophy where 20 much light
gave birth TO 80 many hopes In the
name OF truth that voice rang forth an
accusation before the whole Of mankind
against letters. arts. sciences and society
itself. What h~appenedl 1T was not scan
dial that arose, but admiration, and a sort
0f terror that was almost universal
NJ. Iemaitre would asoribe this e1traor-
pdinsry phenomenon TO the accent and style
which distinguished this first work Of Rous-
eeau's. There was In the piece the accent
hof the mar Of letters who has not succeeded;
of the invalid who Ia only at ease In solitude;
hof the timid man who has often suffered in
fine company; -tfe-Hccent If the whilom
tramp. Of the revolted plebeian; in a word,
Df the man who takes to heart a ommon
place till then deemed ino1ensive. We
must bear IN mind on the other hand that
this production. commonplace as essen
italy IL was, but vibrating with this acrid
personal accent, was destined 10 be read
by that little minority Of privileged people
for whom ROusseAu's theme wss partially
true; and besides he attacked from the first
. few Of that select society's pct idols:
PHILOSOPHY. science and faith in progress,
which were all the passion. This grave
and vehement sermonizing was sure 10
move and fascinate sophisticated people
who had given up the habit Of going TO
hear preaching.
There, too, was the irresistible style.
NJ. Lemaitre, himself one Of the most con-
summate stylists now writing in French,
does not hnd in IL. 20 be sure. all the quail.
tlts Which the style Of Jean Jacques was to
possess later on, but he comedies that in
lie intensity Il is beautiful; it shows an ora
torical swing, and the phrase h strongly
rhythmical; with its air Of novelty, II was
opposed TO tho quick, subtle sentences then
In vogue" The lecturer adds that we
0lready perceive in this first discourse the
dramatic Spostrophe, the abuse Of certain
words, such IA virtue and nature the
emphasis and the false republican frank
ness which we're TO characterize forty years
later the pseudo-eloquenoe n the Jacobins
and sdHScu lottes. In other words, Jean
Jacques furnished the Revolution with tie
vocabulary.
Whatever the explanation, II ia GER
tain that Rousseau's discourse, crowned
by the DIXON Academy in August, i7eo,
obtained from the first a prodiRous sue
cess. Men Of great and even royal station
published criticisms on II; not only Vol
taire and D'Alembert but King Stanislas
and Frederick IL. Rousseau's answers 10
their attempts at refutation are, in our
lecturers opinion, better than the discourse