CHAPTER XVI. DIDEROT, COCHET, BATTEAUX, VOLTAIRE, DENIS DIDEROT. DIDEROT was one of the most active and distinguished of the French savans of the eighteenth century. His connexion with the Encyclopédie and all the most eminent of its contributors, gave him an unlimited sway over the speculative opinions of his countrymen. The metaphysics of Diderot were of a most decidedly material cast. An idea was a sensation; and general or abstract conceptions of the mind, only transformed sensations. This was the sum total of his creed. The works of Diderot amount to fifteen volumes octavo; but there are only two or three of them which contain speculations relating to the mental and moral nature of man. The doctrines of necessity and materialism form the ground work of all his disquisitions. Every thing is matter; and nothing could have happened otherwise than it has done, or will do in future. All his philosophical writings exercised a pernicious influence over the minds of his countrymen; by inducing them to consider man, in his relations, as only a single degree above the beasts that perish. COCHET. Cochet published at Paris, in 1753, his work, "La Métaphysique, qui contient l'Ontologie, la Théologie Naturelle, et la Pneumatologie:" another work, "La Clef des Sciences et des Beaux Arts," was published a short time after. The metaphysical speculations of this author are evidently a compound of the doctrines of Gassendi and Malebranche. They are not characterised by any great subtility or comprehensiveness of aim; but many judicious and ingenious remarks are interspersed throughout the pages of the first mentioned work. Both treatises evidently indicate a mind familiarised with mental discussions, and possessing no ordinary philosophical attainments. The author has given a mathematical form to his reasonings, by stating them under the heads of axioms, definitions, &c. The utility of treating topics on the human mind in this mode, is very questionable. ABBE BATTEAUX. The Abbé's chief work is "Histoire des Causes Premières; ou Exposition Sommaire des Pensées des Philosophes sur les Principes des Etres," 1769. In this treatise the learned ecclesiastic enters into an inquiry relative to First Causes by a minute and rigid examination of the opinions which most of the leading nations of the world have entertained on this important subject. These critical judgments of the author are marked with great clearness, acuteness, and impartiality. He gives likewise an exposition of First Causes from the Schools of the most distinguished philosophers of antiquity. VOLTAIRE. The genius of Voltaire was all-predominant over France, and even over some neighbouring continental countries, for half a century. His influence in the walks of philosophy was nearly as great as in polite literature. Though not possessing mental qualifications expressly fitted for constructing theories and expounding them with effect, yet he displayed a remarkable quickness and aptitude for the cultivation of abstract studies; to such an extent, at least, as to make them comparatively agreeable and popularly instructive. Voltaire was at once great and little, disinterested and selfish, profound and shallow. He laboured from an ardent desire to enlighten his age; yet we see in almost every movement, the cravings of an inordinate vanity, and the little jealousies and spites of a narrow soul. He could discuss the most profound and important questions, with a gravity and seriousness befitting their intrinsic worth; and yet he would often mar all his exertions by some display of low and degrading buffoonery. For instance, he treats Leibnitz's PreEstablished Harmony, with philosophical decorum and attention; and then writes his "Candidus, or all for the Best," to overwhelm the theory with a load of caustic wit and gross obscenity. And this was the mode in which he exercised his unrivalled powers during his long and eventful life. He was a zealous advocate for intellectual freedom, but a despot at heart; could write sensibly and eloquently on the being of a God, and the obligations of morality, and yet sport his light and impious jests upon both. He was a lover of all that is noble, sublime, and beautiful, in nature and in man; still he took delight in wallowing in the mire, and bespattering all around him with mud and dirt. He was, unquestionably, the most discordant intellectual compound of his age and country. There is this characteristic circumstance, however, about the philosophical writings of Voltaire, that they display more than an average share of common sense. He was no enthusiastic visionary; no dealer in incomprehensible dogmas; no system or worldmaker. What was sensible, intelligent, and demonstrative, always claimed his attention. He could be dogmatical and superficial; but he could not be stupid or silly. The leading features of a system he could depict with unrivalled clearness and effect. Hence we find him the able and zeal ous expounder of the Newtonian system, and the theory of Locke. The mental speculations of the latter philosopher were great favorites with him; and he made them known and respected from one end of Europe to the other. But he did this in his own way and fashion. and fashion. He gave an unfair representation of Locke's doctrine, from his lack and disregard of a just and refined discrimination. This may be pardoned, from the peculiar construction of Voltaire's mind, and from the circumstance of his having imparted to the speculations of our countryman a high degree of interest among all the profound thinkers of Europe. The poet's influence was all-powerful in his day. A great poetical genius, to whom kings, and popes, and cardinals, and the wise and mighty of the earth, paid homage, could not but give a wide currency to every thing he discussed, either for good or for ill. The connexion which Voltaire had with the theatre of France, was no inconsiderable item in the mass of power he exercised over the philosophy of his age. The stage was the great arena of literature during the eighteenth century, and he held the chief place among a numerous and powerful host of brilliant rivals. He made many attempts, some of which were successful, to introduce philosophical opinions and sentiments in theatrical pieces; and this expedient gave a popular currency to a great portion of what was really obnoxious and unsound in his abstract speculations. The public mind, the gay and thoughtless, became charged |