Rousseau (Volume 1 and 2)

ROUSSEAU

BY

JOHN MORLEY


VOLUMES I. and II.



London
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1905

_All rights reserved_

_First printed in this form 1886_
_Reprinted 1888, 1891, 1896, 1900, 1905_





VOL. I.



NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION.


This work differs from its companion volume in offering something more
like a continuous personal history than was necessary in the case of
such a man as Voltaire, the story of whose life may be found in more
than one English book of repute. Of Rousseau there is, I believe, no
full biographical account in our literature, and even France has nothing
more complete under this head than Musset-Pathay's _Histoire de la Vie
et des Ouvrages de J.J. Rousseau_ (1821). This, though a meritorious
piece of labour, is extremely crude and formless in composition and
arrangement, and the interpreting portions are devoid of interest.

The edition of Rousseau's works to which the references have been made
is that by M. Auguis, in twenty-seven volumes, published in 1825 by
Dalibon. In 1865 M. Streckeisen-Moultou published from the originals,
which had been deposited in the library of Neuchâtel by Du Peyrou, the
letters addressed to Rousseau by various correspondents. These two
interesting volumes, which are entitled _Rousseau, ses Amis et ses
Ennemis_, are mostly referred to under the name of their editor.

_February_, 1873.

       *       *       *       *       *

The second edition in 1878 was revised; some portions were considerably
shortened, and a few additional footnotes inserted. No further changes
have been made in the present edition.

_January_, 1886.




CONTENTS OF VOL. I.


CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY.
                                                           PAGE

The Revolution                                                1
Rousseau its most direct speculative precursor                2
His distinction among revolutionists                          4
His personality                                               5


CHAPTER II.

YOUTH.

Birth and descent                                             8
Predispositions                                              10
First lessons                                                11
At M. Lambercier's                                           15
Early disclosure of sensitive temperament                    19
Return to Geneva                                             20
Two apprenticeships                                          26
Flight from Geneva                                           30
Savoyard proselytisers                                       31
Rousseau sent to Anncey, and thence to Turin                 34
Conversion to Catholicism                                    35
Takes service with Madame de Vercellis                       39
Then with the Count de Gouvon                                42
Returns to vagabondage                                       43
And to Madame de Warens                                      45


CHAPTER III.

SAVOY.

Influence of women upon Rousseau                             46
Account of Madame de Warens                                  48
Rousseau takes up his abode with her                         54
His delight in life with her                                 54
The seminarists                                              57
To Lyons                                                     58
Wanderings to Freiburg, Neuchâtel, and elsewhere             60
Through the east of France                                   62
Influence of these wanderings upon him                       67
Chambéri                                                     69
Household of Madame de Warens                                70
Les Charmettes                                               73
Account of his feeling for nature                            79
His intellectual incapacity at this time                     83
Temperament                                                  84
Literary interests, and method                               85
Joyful days with his benefactress                            90
To Montpellier: end of an episode                            92
Dates                                                        94


CHAPTER IV.

THERESA LE VASSEUR.

Tutorship at Lyons                                           95
Goes to Paris in search of fortune                           97
His appearance at this time                                  98
Made secretary to the ambassador at Venice                  100
His journey thither and life there                          103
Return to Paris                                             106
Theresa Le Vasseur                                          107
Character of their union                                    110
Rousseau's conduct towards her                              113
Their later estrangement