Danaides: in Greek mythology the Danaides are condemned in Hades to fill a bottomless barrel. This image of prodigality seems awkward in this context.
Mercury’s epicycle: the allusion is to a theory in ancient astronomy that was supposed to explain the movements of certain planets; it was made redundant by the heliocentric theory of the universe. The expression, as stated further on, is taken from Montaigne (Essays, i. 26 and ii. 27); it mocks an antiquated, speculative, and unempirical view of the world.
Galiani: the Abbé Galiani (see Glossary of Names) was a friend of Diderot, whom he often met at the Baron d’Holbach’s. As an author, he is now remembered for his Dialogues sur le commerce des blés (Dialogues on the Trade in Corn, 1770) and for his correspondence with Mme d’Épinay. The ‘stories’ referred to here are recollections of verbal performances, recounted with relish by Diderot in his letters to Sophie Volland, as here, for example, on 20 October 1760: ‘The Abbé tells good stories, but above all he is an excellent actor. He is quite irresistible. You would really have laughed to see him stretching out his neck and imitating the nightingale’s little voice; puffing himself up and catching the cuckoo’s raucous tone; and then sticking up his ears and assuming the stupid and ponderous gravity of the donkey—all this naturally and effortlessly. He is a born mimic, every inch of him’ (Diderot’s Letters to Sophie Volland, 83).
Pantaloon: Venetian character in Italian comedy, a lean and foolish old man who is the butt of jokes; he wears spectacles and tight-fitting trousers (pantaloons).
Bishop of Orléans: the author of the Lettres critiques ou Analyses et réfutation de divers écrits modernes sur la religion, in 19 volumes (1753–63) is the Abbé Gabriel Gauchet; he had earlier criticized Diderot’s Pensées philosophiques. The Bishop of Orléans referred to here, Louis Sextus de Jarente de la Bruyère, was the Controller of Benefices from 1758 to 1788.
Quisque … manes: ‘Each endures his own particular fate’ (Virgil, Aeneid, iv. 743). The speaker here uses manes to refer more particularly to ‘ancestors’ (i.e. Dauvergne is eclipsed by the composers who came before him and whom he imitates). The same quotation occurs in Diderot’s Salon de 1767, also in connection with J.-F. Rameau; this is the only other reference in the whole of Diderot’s work to the real-life model of Rameau’s nephew.
bell ringing vespers: the Opéra rang a bell to announce the beginning of a performance, at six in the evening.
FIRST SATIRE
[Epigraph] Quot capitum … milia: ‘For every thousand living souls, there are as many thousand tastes’ (Horace, Satires, 11. i. 27–8; trans. H. R. Fairclough, Loeb edn.).
[Dedication] Sunt quibus … tendere opus: ‘There are some critics who think I am too savage in my satire and strain the work beyond lawful bounds’ (Horace, Satires, 11. i. 1–2; Loeb edn.). Diderot quotes again from the same poem: but this remark is aimed at his friend Naigeon.
God … of his mother: reference to God’s asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22). The saying comes from Maffei’s commentary on his own Mérope.
I’d very much … comes of this: this passage has not been found in Fontenelle’s works; Diderot may be recording something which he heard.
Who told you so … forever: from two of Racine’s tragedies, respectively Andromaque (1667) and Phèdre (1677).
‘Come, drink… done for.’: these exchanges are lifted almost word for word from Horace (Satires, 11. iii. 155–7).
In masticating … signal honour: from La Fontaine (Fables, vii. 1).
Mademoiselle de Thé: the identities of this person and of the Doctor remain mysterious.
Dialogues … had composed: Rémond de Saint-Mard published his Nouveaux dialogues des dieux ou Réflexions sur les passions (New Dialogues of the Gods, or Reflections on the Passions) in 1711.
by a king: the king’s words are quoted from Voltaire’s Histoire de Charles XII (Book 8). The source of the soldier’s reply remains unidentified.
Faciamus … est mori …: ‘Let’s try the experiment on this vile [i.e. still living] soul’, to which the reply comes: ‘As if it could be vile, this soul for which Christ did not disdain to die!’
That he should die: quotation from Corneille’s tragedy Horace; Boileau had famously declared this concise reply to be a perfect example of ‘sublime’ discourse.
Since … be God: from Plutarch’s Moralia, best known in France in Amyot’s translation (1572).
astute man: Naigeon explains that the man in question is Claude de Rulhière.
Mademoiselle D***’s: according to Naigeon, this refers to Mlle Dornais (or Dornet), a former dancer at the Opéra, who in the late 1760s was the mistress of Prince Galitzin. According to Diderot, in his correspondence with Sophie Volland, Naigeon had been in love with her.
that immense journey … your objections: this refers to Diderot’s trip to Russia via Holland, the one great journey of his life. He left Paris in June 1773, in the face of the objections of his friend Naigeon.
the Grande Allée: the central promenade in the Tuileries gardens.
de Richelieu: in 1758–9 Rulhière had been aide-de-camp to the Duc de Richelieu. Richelieu, grandson of the great cardinal, was a celebrated soldier and an even more celebrated libertine. The comtesse d’Egmont (1740-73) was the daughter of the Duc de Richelieu. She was the friend, and perhaps the mistress of Rulhière, who dedicated several poems to her.
Russian Revolution: Rulhière’s Histoire ou Anecdotes sur la Révolution de Russie en l’année 1762 was written at the request of the Comtesse d’Egmont. The work was eventually published in 1797, six years after Rulhière’s death. Before that, Diderot had been involved in negotiations with Catherine the Great, who wanted to buy the manuscript of the work in order to prevent its publication. Rulhière had been secretary of the French Embassy at the time of Catherine’s coup d’état, and his Histoire hints at her part in the death of her husband Peter III.
of Persius: the satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus (AD 34–62), influenced by Stoicism, are less gentle than Horace’s. On Diderot’s use of different models of satire, see Introduction.
Lucilius: a reference to Horace, Satires, 11. i, quoted at the start of the work. Gaius Lucilius (180–103 BC) was considered the founder of Roman satire.
Apulian … says Horace: ‘He it is I follow—I, a Lucanian or Apulian’ (Horace, Satires, 11. i. 34; trans. H. R. Fairclough, Loeb edn.).
Rue Royale: D’Holbach regularly received at his home in the Rue Royale the group of atheists he referred to as his ‘synagogue’.
Cour de Marsan: Diderot’s friend Mme de Maux lived in the Cour de Marsan, at the Louvre.
commentary … own it: Galiani wrote his commentary on Horace in French around 1764, when he was living in Paris. Extracts were published in the Gazette littéraire de l’Europe in 1765–6; the full commentary was published only in 1821.
Justum … virum: ‘The man tenacious of purpose in a righteous cause …’ (Horace, Odes, 111. iii. 1; trans. C. E. Bennett, Loeb edn.)
Aurum … melius situm: ‘undiscovered gold (better so bestowed, while Earth yet hides it’ Horace, Odes, 111. iii. 49; Loeb edn.).
Imperat … ducere funem: ‘Money stored up is for each his lord or his slave, but ought to follow, not lead, the twisted rope’ (Horace, Epistles, 1. x. 47–8; trans. H. R. Fairclough, Loeb edn.).
GLOSSARY OF NAMES
Alberti Giuseppe-Mateo Alberti (1685–1751) and Domenico Alberti (1710–40), both composers of music for harpsichord.
Arnould Madeleine Sophie Arnould (1740–1802) made her debut at the Opéra in 1757, and sang in many of the operas of Rameau. She had a long-standing affair (and three children) with the Comte de Lauraguais; their affair was briefly broken off in late 1761.
Baculard François Thomas de Baculard d’Arnaud (1718–1805), a friend of Diderot in their youth, later became a collaborator of Fréron in L’Année littéraire from 1754; as an author, he is mainly remembered for his highly sentimental short stories.
&nb
sp; Bagge Charles-Ernest, Baron de Bagge, a wealthy Dutch music-lover who gave at his hôtel a concert every Friday. (Diderot writes ‘Bacq’, changed here to the more usual spelling.)
Barbier well-known silk-merchant trading in the Sainte-Opportune quarter in Paris.
Batteux Charles, Abbé Batteux (1713–80), a writer on aesthetics and a member of the Académie Française, was friendly with the Abbé d’Olivet; Diderot was critical of his aesthetic theories.
Bergier Claude François Bergier (1721–84), a lawyer and translator from English. His brother, Nicolas Sylvestre (1718–90), was a theologian who wrote a book (1771) condemning d’Holbach’s materialism.
Bernard Samuel Bernard (1651–1739), famous banker of Protestant origins, who made a loan to Louis XIV.
Bertin Louis Auguste Bertin de Blagny, a tax farmer (fermier général) and wealthy protector of writers hostile to the philosophes’ cause. The break-up of his affair with Mlle Hus was much discussed. He was known to be the protector of Jean-François Rameau.
Bissy Claude-Henri de Bissy, Comte de Thiard, member of the Académie Française, translator of Bolingbroke and Young.
Bouret Étienne Michel Bouret de Silhouette (1710–77), son of a lackey, who became immensely rich. He was treasurer of the King’s household, and head of the tax-collecting department. He showed servile obedience to the King and was protector to authors hostile to the party of the philosophes.
Bouvillon Mme Bouvillon is a (very fat) character in Scarron’s novel Le Roman comique (1657).
Bret Antoine Bret (1717–92), minor playwright, and from 1775 director of La Gazette de France, a journal which was hostile to the philosophes.
Briasson Antoine-Claude Briasson (1700–75), one of the booksellers associated with the publication of the Encyclopédie.
Brun perhaps the poet Ponce Denis Écouchard Le Brun, known as Le Brun-Pindare (1729–1807), or his brother Jean-Étienne Le Brun de Granville (1718–65).
Buffon Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707–88), the most famous scientist of his day, and author of the Natural History; he was a writer whom Diderot greatly admired.
Burigny Jean Lévesque de Burigny (1692–1785), member of the Académie des Inscriptions, author of historical and biographical works, in the circle of Mme Geoffrin; he was also, as Diderot would have been aware, an atheist, who published in 1766 a clandestine critique of Christianity.
Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (100–44 BC), Roman statesman and military leader.
Caffarelli Gaetano Majorano Caffarelli (1703–83), castrato singer. He performed in Paris in 1753, and the time of the ‘Querelle des Bouffons’, when he was much applauded by the partisans of Italian music.
Campra André Campra (1660–1744), composer who wrote for the court and originated the genre of the opéra-ballet (L’Europe galante, 1697).
Canaye Étienne, Abbé de Canaye (1694–1782), historian and music-lover.
Carmontelle Louis Carrogis, known as Carmontelle (1717–1806), a famous portrait painter, whose portraits include Jean-Philippe Rameau (see frontispiece), and Diderot.
Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), Roman orator, statesman, and writer.
Clairon Mlle Clairon (1723–1802), famous tragic actress, especially in the works of Voltaire. In the Paradoxe sur le comédien (Paradox of the Actor) Diderot singles her out as the actress whose head perfectly controls her heart, in contrast to Dumesnil, whose performances were more improvised and instinctive.
Corby Nicolas Corby, manager of the Opéra-Comique.
Corneille Pierre Corneille (1606–84), French dramatist of the seventeenth century.
Crébillon the younger Claude-Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon (1707–77), author of libertine novels, and for a time a royal censor, which did not endear him to the philosophes. His reputation as a novelist has been restored in the late twentieth century.
D’Alembert Jean Le Rond D’Alembert (1717–83), a celebrated mathematician, collaborated with Diderot in editing the Encyclopédie until 1758, when he withdrew from the project. He was also a close friend (and assiduous correspondent) of Voltaire. He is a central figure in Diderot’s Le Rêve de D’Alembert (D’Alembert’s Dream).
Dangeville Anne-Marie Botot, known as la Dangeville (1714–96), highly talented actress who retired from the Comédie-Française in 1763.
Daubenton Louis Daubenton (1716–99), a naturalist and an active collaborator in the Encyclopédie.
Dauvergne Antoine Dauvergne (1713–97), opera composer and director of the Opéra. His opéra-comique Les Troqueurs (The Barterers, 1753) was one of the first to set a French text to music in the Italian style.
David Michel Antoine David the elder, one of the four publishers of the Encyclopédie.
Demosthenes the greatest Athenian orator (384–322 BC).
Deschamps Anne-Marie Pagès, known as la Deschamps (c. 1730-c. 1775), a dancer at the Opéra who was famous for her dalliances and her extravagance.
Destouches André Cardinal Destouches (1672–1749), pupil of Campra, and remembered as a composer of opera (Omphale, 1701).
Diogenes Greek Cynic philosopher of the fourth century BC, supposed to have lived in a barrel; mocked sexual and other conventions.
Dorat Claude-Joseph Dorat (1734–80), a poet of modest talent, hostile to the philosophes; he was praised by Fréron.
Duclos Charles Pinot Duclos (1704–72), a novelist and moraliste, and friend of Jean-Jacques Rousseau; he was famously ‘frank’ and difficult.
Duhamel Henri Louis Duhamel du Monceau (1709–82), a famous writer on agronomy, published L’Art du charbonnier (The Art of the Coalmaker) in 1760.
Dumesnil Marie-France Marchand, known as la Dumesnil (1714–1803), was a member of the Comédie-Française from 1737, where she was the rival of Mlle Clairon as an interpreter of Voltaire.
Duni Egidio Romualdo Duni (1709–75), composer of opéras-comiques whose success in Paris in the late 1750s revived the ‘Querelle des Bouffons’ of 1752–3. He was admired by the philosophes.
Egmont the Comtesse d’Egmont (1740–73) was the daughter of the Duc de Richelieu. She was the friend, and perhaps the mistress, of Rulhière, who dedicated several poems to her.
Fenel Jean-Baptiste Fénel (1695–1753), a scholar and member of the Académie des Inscriptions, who wrote a book on the religion of the ancient Gauls.
Ferrein Antoine Ferrein (1693–1769), professor of anatomy and medicine in Paris.
Fontenelle Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657–1757), French author and precursor of the philosophes, seen as having provided a model of the didactic dialogue in his Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes (Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, 1686), written in a style which the eighteenth century found somewhat flowery. He also wrote opera libretti.
Foubert a real person, of uncertain identity; possibly a surgeon.
Fréron Élie Catherine Fréron (1718–76), a protégé of the Comtesse de La Marek, and the most celebrated antagonist of the philosophes, whom he attacked in his journal, L’Année littéraire. He was involved in endless quarrels with Voltaire, and was a particular enemy of Diderot.
Galiani Ferdinando, Abbé Galiani (1728–87), born in Naples, secretary at the embassy in Paris, 1759–69. Friend of Diderot and of Mme d’Épinay.
Galuppi Baldassare Galuppi (1706–85), composer of operas and of harsichord music.
Geoffrin Mme Marie-Thérèse Geoffrin (1699–1777), who held at her house in the Rue Saint-Honoré an important salon frequented by writers including Fontenelle and D’Alembert.
Greuze Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725–1805), a painter of portraits and genre scenes, remarkable for their sensibilité. In his Salons, Diderot expressed enthusiasm for his paintings.
Grotius Hugo De Groot, or Grotius (1583–1645), considered to be the founder of international public law.
Guimard Marie-Madeleine Morelle, known as la Guimard (1743–1816), dancer at the Comédie-Française, then from 1762 at the Opéra. Such was her wealth that she built a privat
e house in Paris containing a theatre for 500 spectators.
Hasse Jean Adolphe Pierre Hasse (1699–1783), known as ‘the Saxon’, opera composer. In his Leçons de clavecin, Diderot considers him to be as famous as Pergolesi.
Helvétius Claude Adrien Helvétius (1715–71), philosophe admired by Diderot; his most important works were De l’esprit (1758) and De l’homme (1772).
Horace Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65–8 BC), Latin poet in the reign of Augustus, author of Epistles, Satires, and Odes. Familiar in eighteenth-century Europe as one of the best-known and most-loved lyric poets of antiquity. See Introduction for his influence on Diderot’s two Satires.
Hus Adélaïde Louise Pauline Hus (1734–1805), actress at the Comédie-Française, where she was somewhat eclipsed by Mlle Clairon. She encouraged the performance in that theatre of Palissot’s satirical Les Philosophes, so was seen as antagonistic to the philosophes’ cause.
Javillier Jacques Javillier-Létang, a dancer at the Opéra and dancing master to the King, and a well-known figure in the 1760s.
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