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philosophy descending to the drawing room。
This organ is the 〃talent of speech； eloquence applied to the
gravest subjects； the talent for making things clear。〃 ＇5＇〃The great
writers of this nation；〃 says their adversary； 〃express themselves
better than those of any other nation。 Their books give but little
information to true savants；〃 but 〃through the art of expression they
influence men〃 and 〃the mass of men； constantly repelled from the
sanctuary of the sciences by the dry style and bad taste of （other）
scientific writers； cannot resist the seductions of the French style
and method。〃 Thus the classic spirit that furnishes the ideas likewise
furnishes the means of conveying them； the theories of the eighteenth
century being like those seeds provided with wings which float and
distribute themselves on all soils。 There is no book of that day not
written for people of the high society； and even for women of this
class。 In Fontenelle's dialogues on the Plurality of worlds the
principal person age is a marchioness。 Voltaire composes his
〃Métaphysique〃 and his 〃Essai sur les Moeurs〃 for Madame du Chatelet；
and Rousseau his 〃Emile〃 for Madame d'Epinay。 Condillac wrote the
〃Traité des Sensations〃 from suggestions of Mademoiselle Ferrand； and
he sets forth instructions to young ladies how to read his 〃Logique。〃
Baudeau dedicates and explains to a lady his 〃Tableau Economique。〃
Diderot's most profound work is a conversation between Mademoiselle de
l'Espinasse and d'Alembert and Bordeu＇6＇。 Montesquieu had placed an
invocation to the muses in the middle of the 〃Esprit des Lois。〃 Almost
every work is a product of the drawing…room； and it is always one
that； before the public； has been presented with its beginnings。 In
this respect the habit is so strong as to last up to the end of 1789；
the harangues about to be made in the National Assembly are also
passages of bravura previously rehearsed before ladies at an evening
entertainment。 The American Ambassador； a practical man； explains to
Washington with sober irony the fine academic and literary parade
preceding the political tournament in public＇7＇。
〃The speeches are made beforehand in a small society of young men
and women； among them generally the fair friend of the speaker is one；
or else the fair whom he means to make his friend；； and the society
very politely give their approbation； unless the lady who gives the
tone to that circle chances to reprehend something； which is of course
altered； if not amended。〃
It is not surprising； with customs of this kind； that professional
philosophers should become men of society。 At no time or in any place
have they been so to the same extent； nor so habitually。 The great
delight of a man of genius or of learning here； says an English
traveler； is to reign over a brilliant assembly of people of
fashion＇8＇。 Whilst in England they bury themselves morosely in their
books； living amongst themselves and appearing in society only on
condition of 〃doing some political drudgery；〃 that of journalist or
pamphleteer in the service of a party； in France they dine out every
evening； and constitute the ornaments and amusement of the drawing…
rooms to which they resort to converse＇9＇。 There is not a house in
which dinners are given that has not its titular philosopher； and；
later on； its economist and man of science。 In the various memoirs；
and in the collections of correspondence； we track them from one
drawing room to another； from one chateau to another； Voltaire to
Cirey at Madame du Chatelet's； and then home； at Ferney where he has a
theater and entertains all Europe； Rousseau to Madame d'Epinay's； and
M。 de Luxembourg's； the Abbé Barthelemy to the Duchesse de Choiseul's；
Thomas； Marmontel and Gibbon to Madame Necker's； the encyclopedists to
d'Holbach's ample dinners； to the plain and discreet table of Madame
Geoffrin； and to the little drawing room of Mademoiselle de
L'Espinasse； all belonging to the great central state drawing…room；
that is to say； to the French Academy； where each newly elected member
appears to parade his style and obtain from a polished body his
commission of master in the art of discourse。 Such a public imposes
on an author the obligation of being more a writer than a philosopher。
The thinker is expected to concern himself with his sentences as much
as with his ideas。 He is not allowed to be a mere scholar in his
closet； a simple erudite； diving into folios in German fashion； a
metaphysician absorbed with his own meditations； having an audience of
pupils who take notes； and； as readers； men devoted to study and
willing to give themselves trouble； a Kant； who forms for himself a
special language； who waits for a public to comprehend him and who
leaves the room in which he labors only for the lecture…room in which
he delivers his lectures。 Here； on the contrary； in the matter of
expression； all are experts and even professional。 The mathematician
d'Alembert publishes a small treatise on elocution； Buffon； the
naturalist pronounces a discourse on Style； the legist Montesquieu
composes an essay on Taste； the psychologist Condillac writes a volume
on the art of writing。 In this consists their greatest glory；
philosophy owes its entry into society to them。 They withdrew it from
the study； the closed…society and the school； to introduce it into
company and into conversation。
II。 ITS METHOD。
Owing to this method it becomes popular。
〃Madame la Maréchale；〃 says one of Diderot's personages；＇10＇。 〃I
must consider things from a somewhat higher point of view。〃 … 〃 As
high as you please so long as I understand you。〃 … 〃If you do not
understand me it will be my fault。〃 … 〃 You are very polite； but you
must know that I have studied nothing but my prayer。 book。〃 … That
makes no difference； the pretty woman； ably led on； begins to
philosophize without knowing it； arriving without effort at the
distinction between good and evil； comprehending and deciding on the
highest doctrines of morality and religion。 … Such is the art of
the eighteenth century； and the art of writing。 People are addressed
who are perfectly familiar with life； but who are commonly ignorant of
orthography； who are curious in all directions； but ill prepared for
any； the object is to bring truth down to their level＇11＇。 Scientific
or too abstract terms are inadmissible； they tolerate only those used
to ordinary conversation。 And this is no obstacle； it is easier to
talk philosophy in this language than to use it for discussing
precedence and clothes。 For； in every abstract question there is some
leading and simple conception on which the rest depends； those of
unity； proportion； mass and motion in mathematics； those of organ；
function and being in physiology； those of sensation； pain； pleasure
and desire in psychology； those of utility； contract and law in
politics and morality； those of capital； production； value； exchange
in political economy； and the； same in the other sciences； all of
these being conceptions derived from passing experience； from which it
follows that； in appealing to common experience by means of a few
familiar circumstances； such as short stories； anecdotes； agreeable
tales； and the like； these conceptions are fashioned anew and rendered
precise。 This being accomplished； almost everything is accomplished；
for nothing then remains but to lead the listener along step by step；
flight by flight； to the remotest consequences。
〃Will Madame la Maréchale have the kindness to recall my
definition？ 〃 … 〃I remember it well…do you call that a definition？〃
… 〃Yes。〃 …〃That； then； is philosophy！ 〃 … 〃Admirable ！ 〃 … 〃And I
have been philosophical？ 〃 … 〃 As you read prose； without being
aware of it。〃
The rest is simply a matter of reasoning； that is to say； of
leading on； of putting questions in the right order； and of analysis。
With the conception thus renewed and rectified the truth nearest at
hand is brought out； then out of this； a second truth related to the
first one； and so on to the end； no other obligation being involved in
this method but that of carefully advancing step by step； and of
omitting no intermediary step。 … With this method one is able to
explain all； to make everything understood； even by women； and even by
women of society。 In the eighteenth century it forms the substance of
all talents； the warp of all masterpieces； the lucidity； popularity
and authority of philosophy。 The 〃Eloges〃 of Fontenelle； the
〃Philosophe ignorant et le principe d'action〃 by Voltaire； the 〃
Lettre à M。 de Beaumont；〃 and the 〃Vicaire Savoyard〃 by Rousseau； the
〃Traité de l'homme〃 and the 〃époques de la Nature〃 by Buffon； the 〃
Dialogues sur les blés〃 by Galiani； the 〃 Considérations〃 by
d'Alembert； on mathematics； the 〃 Langue des Calculs〃 and the
〃Logique〃 by Condillac； and； a little later； the 〃Exposi