It gives me much pleasure to add to these names those of M. E. Ritter, M. H. Carré, and above all that of the late M. Guillaume Guizot, who was generous enough to place at my disposal his manuscript notes upon the literary relations between England and France during the eighteenth century.

LYON, April 1895.

INTRODUCTION.

Table of Contents

PAGE

vii

Book 1

THE INFLUence of enGLAND UPON FRANCE Before the

TIME OF ROUSSEAU

Chapter I

THE REVOCATION OF THE EDICT OF NANTES AND THE FIRST MIGRATION

OF THE FRENCH SPIRIT

I. Ignorance of the seventeenth century with regard to England-Pre-

judices and prepossessions-Ignorance of the language-Instances of

English books which were known in France during the seventeenth

century-Why these instances prove nothing-Paramount influence of

humanism

II. The French colony in London-Propaganda of the refugees on behalf

of English philosophy and English political institutions

III. Their works of travel-Their newspapers-In what sense can it be said

that the Dutch reviews aided the birth of the cosmopolitan spirit in

literature? Bayle, Le Clerc, and Basnage-Multiplication of inter-

national reviews-Their hostility to antiquity-They pave the way for

English literature-La Roche, La Chapelle, Maty-French imitators

of the refugees: Dubos, Destouches, Desfontaines-Inferiority and unim-

portance of their work in comparison with that of Protestant criticism

Chapter II

WRITERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIFFUSION OF ENGLISH INFLUENCE:

MURALT, PRÉVOST, VOLTAIRE

I. Prévost and Voltaire were themselves preceded by the Swiss, Béat de

Muralt, the author of the Lettres sur les Anglais et les Français (1725)—

Muralt's character-Wherein he carried on the work of the refugees,

wherein he went beyond them -His illusions—His opinions on English

literature and the English intellect-Great success of his book: Muralt

and Desfontaines-His influence on Rousseau

2

14

22

37

II. Admiration of the abbé Prévost for English ideas; he assists in diffus-

ing them-His two visits to England-His translations-His cosmo-

politan novels: Mémoires d'un homme de qualité and Histoire de Cléveland-

His magazine, Le Pour et Contre (1732-1740): the author's aim and

method-England occupies a large share of its space

III. Voltaire and the Lettres anglaises (1734)—Importance of the book in

Voltaire's life-His intercourse with men of letters during his stay in

London-Knowledge of the language-His efforts to awaken interest

in English matters-Origin of the Lettres anglaise: they consist of

two books

IV. Insufficiency of Voltaire's information; his wilful inaccuracy_The

pamphleteer injurious to the critic-Why this book is nevertheless of

the highest importance in the history of the influence of England—

Voltaire encourages imitation of English works

Chapter III

THE CAUSES WHICH, BEFORE THE TIME OF ROUSSEAU, PAVED THE WAY FOR THE

SUCCESS OF THE COSMOPOLITAN SPIRIT IN FRANCE

I. Circumstances which contributed to the diffusion of the cosmopolitan

spirit during the first half of the century-Decline of the patriotic idea

-Exhausted state of the national literature

II. Spread of the scientific spirit, and its literary results

III. The work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in its relation to the influence of

England; in him the Latin genius is combined with the Germanic

PAGE

44

56

66

76

82

87

Book 11

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU AND ENGLISH LITERATURE

Chapter I

ROUSSEAU AND ENGLAND

I. Origins of Rousseau's genius: what it owes to Geneva, and through

Geneva to England-Its exotic character

II. Rousseau, like his contemporaries, an admirer of England-Freedom of

the English intellect-Respect felt by Frenchmen of the eighteenth

century for English virtue

III. How these features come to be found also in Rousseau-Whence did he

derive his notions concerning England ?-Muralt's influence over him

-English manners in La Nouvelle Héloïse-Milord Bomston, or the

Englishman-Rousseau's work reflects the anglomania of his age

89

96

102

Chapter II

ROUSSEAU'S FIRST STUDIES IN ENGLISH

1. Rousseau's early associations in Paris: Diderot and the admirers of

England.

II. His first studies in English: Pope, and his popularity-Influence of his

commonplace philosophy upon his age and upon Rousseau-Daniel de

Foe: success of Robinson Crusoe

III. Rousseau's admiration for English literature directed mainly to the

bourgeois variety-Why? Because of his literary tendencies -His admira-

tion for the English drama: translation of The London Merchant (1748) 128

Chapter III

EUROPEAN POPULARITY OF ENGLISH FICTION

I. Greatness of the English novel in the eighteenth century-Its success

upon the continent-Fielding-Immense popularity of Richardson

II. Why the French public went into raptures over English fiction-Why,,

with Rousseau, it rated it more highly than the works of Lesage,

Prévost and Marivaux-Wherein the French novelists, and Marivaux

in particular, had anticipated Richardson and Rousseau

1142

.

150

160

III. Prévost translates Richardson (1742, 1751, 1755-56)-Importance of

these translations-Their value.

Chapter IV

THE WORK OF SAMUEL RICHARDSON

170

I. Defects of Richardson's novels-Reasons for their success-Wherein

they are opposed to classical art

II. Wherein the realism of the author of Clarissa Harlowe consists-His

lack of distinction-His brutality-His power.

III. Richardson a delineator of character-He is an inferior painter of the

manners of good society, and an excellent painter of middle-class

manners: Lovelace, Pamela, Clarissa

IV. His moral ideas; his preaching-Fond of casuistry and the discussion

of moral problems

V. His sensibility-The place of love in his works-Emotional gifts

VI. Magnitude of the revolution effected by Richardson in the art

fiction

Chapter V

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU AND ENGLISH FICTION

I. Success of English novels in France-Richardson is read and imitated

by every member of Rousseau's circle-Controversy with regard to

English novels-Diderot's Eloge de Richardson-Voltaire takes the other

side-Richardson's influence upon the French novel

II. Rousseau's admiration for him-He had Richardson in mind while

writing La nouvelle Héloïse-The resemblance between Héloïse and Clarissa

a commonplace of eighteenth century criticism-Reasons for this

III. Analogy between the two works in point of design, characters, use of

the epistolary form, and devotion to reality as exemplified in middle-

class life

PAGE

209

227

233

241

IV. Analogy between the two writers in point of religion-How Rousseau,

following Richardson's example, transformed and elevated the novel

V. Wherein he surpassed his model: feeling for nature, conception of love,

melancholy-The success of Héloïse increased the fame of Clarissa Har-

lowe-Richardson and the romantic school

249

Book 111

ROUSSEAU AND THE INFLUENCE OF ENGLAND DURING THE

LATTER HALF OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

Chapter I

ROUSSEAU AND THE DIFFUSION OF THE LITERATURES OF NORTHERN EUROPE

I. Development of English influence in the latter half of the century—

Intercourse with England-Influence of English manners

II. Growth of the cosmopolitan idea-Diffusion of the English language

and literature: newspapers and translations

III. Wherein Rousseau assisted the movement-The revolution accom-

plished by him in criticism-Manner in which he effected the union

of Germanic with Latin Europe

Chapter II.

ENGLISH INFLUENCE AND THE SENTIMENTAL NOVEL

I. Sterne and the sentimental novel-Sterne, like Rousseau, brought

Sentimental confession into fashion-His visit to Paris-His amours

-The "culte du moi"

II. The eighteeenth century failed to understand his humour, but appre-

ciated the way in which, like Rousseau, he affected to talk of himself,

and to be deeply touched by his own condition-Nature and extent of

the influence exerted by his work in France ⚫

256

262

271

277

281