French Writers and their Society 1715–1800

Front Matter....Pages i-vi
Introduction....Pages 1-5
Front Matter....Pages 7-7
Politics and Society....Pages 9-35
The Writer and His Audience....Pages 36-55
Front Matter....Pages 57-57
Aristocratic Reform Under the Regency: Montesquieu (1689–1755)....Pages 59-73
The Individualist Approach: Marivaux (1688–1763)....Pages 74-89
Money and the Establishment: Prévost (1697–1763)....Pages 90-104
Luxury in a Secular Civilisation: Voltaire (1694–1778)....Pages 105-111
The Rise of Technology: L’Encyclopédie (1751–72)....Pages 112-127
Genevan Theatre and the Middle Classes: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78)....Pages 128-145
Commerce, Class-distinction and Realist Drama: Sedaine (1719–97)....Pages 146-167
Crime and Punishment: Voltaire (1694–1778)....Pages 168-181
The Development of Biological Science: Diderot (1713–84)....Pages 182-196
A Red Herring? Laclos (1741–1803)....Pages 197-208
Universal Education: Condorcet (1743–94)....Pages 209-219
Exiles from the Revolution: Sénac de Meilhan (1734–1803)....Pages 220-231
Popular Reading Tastes....Pages 232-238
The Way Forward: Madame de Staël (1766–1817)....Pages 239-245
Back Matter....Pages 246-261