Baron d\'Holbach
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I was not much surpris'd at the particulars you are pleas'd to mention
about Rousseau. According to the thorough knowledge I have had of
him I look on that man as a mere philosophical quack, full of
affectation, of pride, of oddities and even villainies; the work he
is going to publish justifies the last imputation. Is his memory so
short as to forget that Mr Grimm, for those 9 years past, has taken
care of the mother of his wench or _gouvernante_ whom he left to starve
here after having debauch'd her daughter and having got her 3 or 4
times with child. That great philosopher should remember that
Mr. Grimm has in his hands letters under his own hand-writing that
prove him the most ungrateful dogg in the world. During his last
stay in Paris he made some attempts to see Mr Diderot, and being
refused that favor, he pretended that Diderot endeavoured to see
him, but that himself had refused peremptorily to comply with his
request. I hope these particulars will suffice to let you know what
you are to think of that illustrious man. I send you here a copy of
a letter supposed to come from the King of Prussia, but done by
Mr Horace Walpole, whereby you'll see that gentleman has found out
his true character. But enough of that rascal who deserves not to be
in Mr Hume's company but rather among the bears, if there are any in
the mountains of Wales.
I am surprized you have not receiv'd yet the _Encyclopedie_, for a
great number of copies have been sent over already to England unless
you have left your subscription here, where hitherto not one copy has
been delivered for prudent reasons.
We have had in the French Comedy a new play called _Le Philosophie sans
le savoir_ done and acted in a new stile, quite natural and moving: it
has a prodigious success and deserves it extremely well. Marmontel
will give us very soon upon the Italian stage his comical opera of
_La Bergere des Alpes_. I hope it will prove very agreeable to the
Publick, having been very much delighted by the rehearsal of it; the
music was done by Mr Cohaut who teaches my wife to play on the luth.
We expect a tragedy of the Dutch Barnvelt.
Mr Wilkes is still in this town, where he intends to stay until you
give him leave to return to his native country. We have had the
pleasure of seeing Mr Chanquion, your friend, who seems to be a very
discerning gentleman and to whom in favor of your friendship I have
shown all the politeness I could. I hear that Sr James Macdonald has
been ill at Parma, but is now recovered and in Rome. Abbe Galliani is
still at Naples and stands a fair chance of being employ'd in the
ministry there.
Adieu, very dear Sir and remember your affectionate friend
D'HOLBACH
HOLBACH TO WILKES
(Brit. Mus. Mss., Vol. 30869, p. 39)
PARIS the 22d Of May (1766)
_My dear Sir_
I am extremely glad to know your lucky passage and happy arrival
in your native country. I hope you know too well the sincere
dispositions of my heart as to doubt of the friendship I have
vowed to you for life; it has been of too long a duration to be
shaken by any circumstances, and especially by those that do honor
to you. I shall be very happy if your affairs (that seem to be in
a fair way) permit you to drop over very soon to spend some time
in this place along with Miss Wilkes to whom Made D'Holbach and I
pay our best compliments. I can easily paint to my imagination
the pleasure you both felt at your first meeting; everybody that
has any sensibility must be acquainted with the grateful pangs in
those moving circumstances.
Your case with the hawker at your entry in London is very odd and
whimsical you did extremely well to humour the man in his opinion
about Mr. Wilkes. I dare say if you had done otherwise his fist
would have convinc'd you of the goodness of your cause, and then it
would have been impossible for you to pass for a dead man any longer;
which however, I think was very necessary for you in the beginning.
I expect with great eagerness the settlement of your affairs with
the ministry to your own satisfaction; be persuaded, Dear Sir, that
nobody interests himself in your happiness than myself, and nothing
will conduce more to it than your steady attachment to the principles
of honor and patriotism.
If you don't find a way of disposing of the little packet, you need
not take much trouble about it, and you may bring it back along with
you, when you come to this place, as to the kind offers you are so
good as to make me about commissions, experience has taught me that
it is unsafe to trust you with them, so I beg leave with gratitude
to decline your proposals as that point.
All our common friends and acquaintances desire their best
compliments to you, and believe me, my dear Sir.
Your affectionate oblig'd humble servant
D'HOLBACH
HOLBACH TO WILKES
(Brit. Mus. Mss., VOL 30869, p. 81)
PARIS 9ber 10th 1766
_My very Dear Sir_
I receiv'd with the greatest pleasure the news of your lucky arrival
in Engelland. You know the sentiments of my heart, and are undoubtedly
convinc'd how much I wish for the good success of all your enterprises
tho I am to be a great looser by it. I rejoice very heartily at the
fine prospect you have now in view and don't doubt but the persons you
mention will succeed if they are in good earnest: which is allways a
little doubtful in people of that Kidney.
We have had the pleasure of seeing Miss Wilkes three or four times since
your departure, she is extreamly well and longs for the return of her
friend Mlle Helvetius the 20th of this month.
Rousseau will very likely hate the English very cordially for making
him pay so dear for his books, it is however a sign that he told us a
lye when he pretended in his writings to have no books at all, as to
his guitar he should buy a new one to tune his heart a little better
than he did before.
We have no news here, except the Election of Mr Thomas as a member of
the french academy. Marquis Beccaria is going to leave us very soon
being obliged to return to Milan: Count Veri will at the same time set
out for England.
I'll be oblig'd to you for a copy or two of the book printed in holland
you mentioned in your letter you may send it by some private opportunity
to Miss Wilkes, with, proper directions. A gentleman of our Society
should be glad to get 2 copies of Baskervilles' virgil _in octavo_.
Tho Mr Davenport and Rousseau seem to be pleased very much with one
another, I suppose they may very soon be tired of their squabbling,
and the latter like the apostles will shake of against the barbarous
Britons the dust of his feet.
Receive the hearty compliments of my wife and all our friends. You
know the true sentiments of my heart for you,
Dear Sir. I am with great sincerity
your most obedient humble Servant
D'HOLBACH
HOLBACH TO WILKES
(Brit. Mus. Mss., Vol. 30869, p. 173)
_Dear Sir_
I receiv'd with a great deal of pleasure your friendly letter from
Ostende of the 26th. nov. I was extreamly glad to hear your happy
arrival at that place, and do not doubt but you met with a lucky
passage to Dover the following day, we are now enjoying the conversation
of your British friends about elections; that will not be tedious for
you if, according to your hopes, you should succeed in your projects.
I see by your letter that instead of coming back directly by Calais
you intend to travel with Miss Wilkes through Antwerp and the Low
countries, which I should think not very advisable in this rigorous
season of the year, for generally at that time the waters are lock'd
up by the frost and travelling is bad et tedious and may be would
prove hurtful to your tender fellow traveler to whom my wife and I
desire our best compliments. Such a scheme will be more advantagious
for you both and more conformable to the wishes of your friends in
this place.
I hope your arrival in London will contribute to reconcile abbe
Galliani to that place, where he complains of having not heard of
the sun since he set his foot on British shore, however he may
comfort himself for we have had very little of it in this country.
The Abbe must be overjoy'd at the news of the Jesuits being expell'd
from his Native country for now he may say _Gens inimica mihi
Tyrrhenum navigat aquor_. We have no material news in this country,
except that the queen continues to be in a very bad state of health.
If there is some good new romance I'll be oblig'd to bring it over
along with you as, well as a couple of french books call'd
_Militaire philosophe_ and _Theologie portative_ in case you may
easily find them in London, for we cannot get them here. I am told
the works of one Morgan have been esteem'd in your country but I don't
know the titles of them, if you should know them and meet with them
with facility, I should be very much oblig'd to you provided you make
me pay a little more than you have done hitherto for your commissions.
All our common friends beg their compliments and I wish for your
speedy return, and I am Sincerely
Dear Sir
Your faithful affectionate humble servant
D'HOLBACH
PARIS the 10th of decemb. 1767
HOLBACH TO WILKES
(Brit. Mus. Mss., Vol. 30870, p. 59)
GRANDVAL, 17th of July 1768
_Dear Sir_
I receiv'd with a great deal of pleasure your very agreeable letter
of the 28th of last month. I am extreamly glad that your generous
soul is very far from sinking under the weight of these Misfortunes,
and to see that you don't give up the hopes of carrying triumphantly
your point notwithstanding the discouragements you have met with lately.
I need not tell you how much your friends in Paris and I in particular
interest ourselves in all the events that may befall you. Our old
friendship ought to be a sure pledge of my sincere sentiments for you,
and of my best wishes for your good success in all your undertakings.
I believe you can do no better but to keep strictly to the rules you
have laid down for your conduct, and I don't doubt but you'll find it
will answer the best to your purpose.
I am very much oblig'd to you, Dear Sir, for the kind offers you make
in your friendly letter. I have desir'd already Mr Suard to bring over
a few books lately published in your metropolis. I am very glad to hear
that Gentleman is pleas'd with his journey.
There's no possibility of getting for you a compleat sett of Callots
engravings. Such a collection must be the business of many years; it
is to be found only after the decease of some curious men who have taken
a great deal of trouble to collect them. I found indeed in two shops 8
or 10 of them, but the proofs (les epreuves) were very indifferent and
they wanted to sell them excessively dear; in general 200 guineas would
procure a collection very far from being compleat.
My wife and all our common acquaintence desire their best compliments
to you and to Miss Wilkes and you know the sentiments wherewith I am
for ever
Dear Sir
your affectionate friend and
very humble servant
D'HOLBACH
HOLBACH TO WILKES
(Brit. Mus. Mss., Vol. 30871, p. 16)
PARIS the 19th of March 1770
_Dear Sir_
I receiv'd with a due sense of gratitude the favour of your last
letter, and was overjoy'd to hear from yourself that your long
confinement has not been able hitherto to obstruct the lively flow
of your spirits. A little more patience and you'll reach the end
of all your misfortunes, that have been faithfully partaken by your
friends in England and abroad, for my own part I wish most sincerely
that everything for the future may turn to your profit and welfare,
without hurting that of your country, to whom, as a lover of mankind,
I am a well wisher.
My wife desires her best compliments to you and your beloved Daughter,
whom we both expect to see again with a great deal of pleasure in
this country next month. Notwithstanding our bad circumstances we
are making very great preparations for the Wedding of the Dauphin,
and our metropolis begins already to be filled with foreigners that
flock hither from all parts of the world. Our friend Mr D'Alainville
is to set out at the end of April to fetch the Archdutchess at
Strasbourg and bring mask (ed) (?) her different stages on the road
to Versailles.
We have no news in the literary world except that Voltaire
is become lately _le pere temporal_, that is to say the benefactor
of the _Capucins du pays de Gex_ where he lives, a title of which
all his pranks seemd to exclude him, but grace you know, is omnipotent,
and monks are not over nice when there is something to be got by
their condescension.
If the hurry of affairs whould leave you any moments to read
curious books I would advise you to peruse two very strange
works lately publish'd viz _Recherches philosophiques sur les
americains_, le _Systeme de la Nature_ par Mirabaud. I suppose
you'll find them cheaper and more easily in London that at
Paris.
All your late acquaintances in this Town desire me to present
you with their sincere compliments and best wishes; as to mine
you know that they have no other object but your Welfare.
I am, Dear Sir, for ever
your most affectionate friend
and humble servant
D'HOLBACH
P. S. I'll be very much oblig'd to you for sending over to me in
2 vol. small octavo.
HOLBACH TO WILKES
(Wilkes, Correspondence, London, 1805, Vol. 4, p. 176)
PARIS, April 27; 1775
"_My Lord_,
"I received with the utmost gratitude your lordship's friendly
letter of the 28th of March. (1775?) I should have done
myself the honor of answering sooner to your kind propositions,
if I had not been prevented by some gouty infirmities that have
assailed in the beginning of this spring. I esteem myself very
happy to find that the hurry of business, and your exhaltation
to the rank of chief-magistrate, could not make you forget your
friendship to me; though my present circumstances do not permit
me to make use of your friendly invitation, be persuaded my very
dear lord that Madame D'Holbach and myself shall forever keep
these signs of your kindness, in very grateful remembrance.
We both desire our best compliments to your very amiable
lady-mayoress: who acted so well her part lately in the Egyptian
hall, to the satisfaction of that prodigious crowd you have
been entertaining there. All members of our society that have
had the happiness of being acquainted with you, desire to be
kindly remembered; and a continuation of your valuable friendship
shall for ever be the utmost ambition
my lord
of your most sincerely devoted
D'HOLBACH"
GALIANI To HOLBACH
(Galiani, Corresp., Vol. I, p. 199)
NAPLES, le 21 juillet, 1770
_Bonjour, mon cher Baron,_
J'ai vu le _Systeme de la Nature_. C'est la ligne ou finit la
tristesse de la morne et seche verite, au-dela commence la gaiete
du roman. Il n'y a rien de mieux que de se persuader que les des
sont pipes: cette idee en enfante milles autres, et un nouveau
monde se regenere. Le M. Mirabaud est un vrai abbe Terray
de la metaphysique. Il fait des reductions, des suspensions,
et cause la banqueroute du savoir, du plaisir et de l'esprit
humain. Mais vous allez me dire qu'aussi il y avait trop de
nonvaleurs: on etait trop endette, il courait trop de papiers non
reels sur la place. C'est vrai aussi, et voila pourquoi la crise
est arrivee.
Adieu, mon cher baron. Ecrivez-moi de longues lettres, pour que
le plaisir en soit plus grand. Embrassez moi longuement la
baronne, et soyez longue dans tout que vous faites, dans tout
ce que vous patientez, dans tout ce que vous esperer. La
longanimite est une belle vertu; c'est elle qui me fait esperer
de revoir Paris.
Adieu.
HOLBACH To GALIANI
(Critica, Vol. I, 1903, p. 489)
GRANDVAL, le 25 d'aout 1770
_Bonjour, mon tres delicieux abbe,_
J'ai bien recu votre tres-precieuse lettre du 21 de juillet qui
m'accuse la reception de celle que je vous avais ecrite le 3 de
juin. Je vois que celle-ci a ete longtemps en route, attendu
que M. Torcia a qui M. Diderot s'etait charge de la remettre, a
encore trainasse quelque temps a Paris, suivant la louable
coutume des voyageurs qui nous quittent toujours avec peine.
Je suis bien aise que vous ayez lu le livre de Mirabaud qui fait
un bruit affreux dans ce pays. L'abbe Bergier l'a deja
refute tres-longuement et sa reponse paraitra cet hiver. La
Sorbonne est, dit-on, occupee a detruire ce maudit _Systeme_ qui
lui parait au moins heretique. Voltaire lui-meme se prepare
a le pulveriser; en attendant nos seigneurs du Parlement y
viennent d'y repondre par des fagots, ainsi qu'a quelque autres
ouvrages de meme trempe. Ce qu'il y a de facheux c'est que
l'ouvrage de V. qui a pour titre _Dieu et les hommes_ a ete
enveloppe dans la meme condamnation, ce qui doit deplaire
souverainement a l'auteur. Je me rappelle a cette occasion ce
que M. Hume dit d'un catholique que Henri VIII fit conduire au
bucher avec quelques heretiques, et dont le seul chagrin etait
d'etre brule en si mauvaise compagnie. Nonobstant toutes ces
refutations, il parait tous les jours quelques nouveaux ouvrages
impies, au point que je suis tres surpris que la recolte ait ete
si bonne dans le royaume. En dernier lieu on vient de publier un
ouvrage sous le titre de _Droit des souverains sur les biens du
clerge_, qui, sans contenir des impietes n'en est pas moins deplaisant
pour cela: Il va droit a la cuisine, et veut que pour liquider
la dette nationale on vende tous les biens ecclesiastiques et
que l'on met nos pontifes a la pension. Vous sentez qu'une
proposition si mal sonnante n'a pu manquer de mettre le ciel en
courroux; sa colere s'est decharge sur cinq ou six libraires et
colporteurs qui ont ete mis en prison.
[ENDNOTES]
[1:1] Diderot, _Oeuvres_, ed. Assezat et Tourneaux, Vol. XX, p. 28.
[2:2] Grimm, _Corr. Lit._, Vol. XV, p. 421.
[3:3] Diderot, _Oeuvres_, Vol. XX, p. 95.
[3:4] Among the most important are Damiron J. P., _Memoires pour
servir a l'histoire de la philosophie au dix-huitieme siecle_ (Paris,
1858, 3 vols., 8vo); Lange, _Geschichte des Materialismus_ (Eng. tr.,
Boston, 1877); Morley, _Diderot and the Encyclopedists_ (N. Y., 1891,
2 vols., 12mo); Plekhanow, G., _Beitraege zur Geschichte des Materialismus_
(Stuttgart, 1896) ; Hancock, A. E., _The French Revolution and the
English Poets_ (N. Y., 1899); Tallentyre, _The Friends of Voltaire_
(London, 1906); Fabre, _Les Peres de la Revolution_ (Paris, 1910), etc.
[5:5] Confessions, _Oeuvres_, Vol. XXIV, p. 338.
[5:6] Bib. Nat. mss. _Pieces originales,_ 1529, d'Holbach, 34, 861.
[6:7] Carlyle, Rev. Dr. A., _Autobiography_, ed. Burton, Boston, 1861,
p. 137 sq. for Holbach's English friends mentioned in his letters to
Wilkes.
[12:9] See Chap. II and Bibliography, Pt. I, for these and his other works.
[12:10] Grimm _Cor. Lit._, Vol. II, p. 283.
[12:11] _Gazette de France_, Aug. 10, 1754.
[12:12] Jal, _Dict. Critique_, p. 685.
[13:13] His career is somewhat doubtful. He travelled in Italy in 1779
and Abbe Galiani, an old friend of Holbach's, got a very agreeable
impression of him. John Wilkes, in a letter to his daughter in 1781,
seems to imply that he had not turned out very well, and hopes that the
baron's second son will make good the deficiencies of the first. In
1806 he published a translation of Weiland's _Oberon_ or _Huon de
Bordeaux_ which went thru another edition in 1825, but those are the
only details that have come to light.
[13:14] Diderot, in writing to Mlle Volland Sep. 17, 1760 says: "On
nourrit, a Chenvieres, les deux filles de Madame d'Holbach. L'ainee
est belle comme un cherubin; c'est un visage rond, de grands yeux
bleus, des levres fines, une bouche riante, la peau la plus blanche
et la plus animee, des cheveux chatains qui ceignent un tres joli
front. La cadette est un peloton d'embonpoint ou l'on ne distingue
encore que du blanc et du vermillon."
[13:15] Gazette de France, June 1, 1781.
[14:16] Holbach's intendant was [a] Jew, Berlise. After his death several
of his old servants Vincent, David, and Plocque, contested Holbach's will,
in which they thought they were legatees. The case was in the courts
for several years and was finally decided against them. Douarche,
_Les tribunaux civil de Paris pendant la revolution_, Paris, 1905, Vol. I.,
pp. 141, 261, 325, 689.
[14:17] Avezac-Lavigne, _Diderot_, p. 5.
[15:18] _Critica_, Vol. I, p. 48, note.
[15:19] He met Voltaire in Paris in 1778, however, and Naigeon relates
that Voltaire greeted him very cordially and said that he had long
desired to make his acquaintance.
[15:20] Collignon, _Diderot_, p. 1.
[16:21] Avezac-Lavigne, _Diderot_, p. 75, note.
[16:22] Romilly, _Memoirs_, Vol. I, p. 179.
[16:23] Diderot, _Oeuvres_, Vol. I, p. lxvi, note.
[17:24] Journal de Paris, Dec. 2, 1789.
[17:25] See appendix, p. 73, p. 77.
[18:26] See appendix, p. 71.
[19:27] See appendix, p. 72.
[19:28] See p. 6 sq. and appendix pp. 75 sq.
[39:2] Barbier, _Dict._, Vol. I, p. 175 sq.
[40:3] Barbier, Vol. I, p. xxxiii, note.
[40:4] _Oeuvres_, Vol. XVIII, p. 265.
[44:5] _Oeuvres_, Vol. XIV, p. 352.
[47:7] Middleton's translation, preface.
[47:8] Cf. p. 94. [Bibliography Part I]
[54:1] Morley, _Diderot_, Vol. II, p. 155.
[55:2] Later _Bon-sens_ and _Theologie portative_ were doomed to the
flames by the condemnations of Jan. 10, 1774, and February 16, 1776.
[55:3] _Systeme de la Nature_, ed. 1771, Vol. II, p. 496.
[56:4] Grimm, _Cor. Lit._, Vol. IX, p. 167.
[56:5] Voltaire, _Oeuvres_, ed. Beuchot, Vol. LXVI, p. 404. Subsequent
references to Voltaire are from this edition.
[56:6] Vol. LXVII, p. 265.
[56:7] Grimm, _Cor. Lit._, Vol. IX, p. 90.
[57:8] Vol. LXVI, p. 432.
[57:9] Vol. LXVI, p. 563.
[57:10] Vol. LXVI, p. 386.
[58:11] Vol. LXVI, p. 394.
[58:12] Vol. XXVIII, p. 493.
[58:13] Vol. LXVI, p. 469.
[58:14] Goethe, _Wahrheit und Dichtung_, 11th Book, Goethe's _Werke_,
Stuttgart, Vol. 19, p. 55.
Auf philosophische Weise erleuchtet und gefoedert zu werden, hatten
wir keinen Trieb noch Hang: ueber religioese Gegenstaende glaubten wir
uns selbst aufgeklaert zu haben, und so war der heftige Streit
franzoesischer Philosophen mit dem Pfafftum uns ziemlich gleichgueltig.
Verbotene, zurn Feuer verdaminte Buecher, welche damals grossen Laermen
machten, uebten keine Wirkung auf uns. Ich gedenke statt aller des
_Systeme de la Nature_, das wir aus Neugier in die Hand nahmen. Wir
begriffen nicht, wie ein solches Buch gefaehrlich sein koennte. Es kam
uns so grau, so cimmerisch, so totenhaft vor, das wir Muehe hatten,
seine Gegenwart auszuhalten, dass wir davor wie vor einern Gespenste
schauderten. Der Verfasser glaubt sein Buch ganz eigens zu empfehlen,
wenn er in der Vorrede versichert, dass er, als ein abgelebter Greis,
soeben in die Grube stiegend, der Mit- und Nachwelt die Wahrheit verkuenden
wolle. Wir lachten ihn aus: denn wir glaubten bemerkt zu haben, dass
von alten Leuten eigentlich an der Welt nichts geschaetzt werde, was
liebenswuerdig und gut an ihr ist. "Alte Kirchen haben dunkle Glaeser"
"Wie Kirschen und Beeren schmecken, muss mann Kinder und Sperlinge
fragen"--dies waren unsere Lust und Leibworte: und so schien uns jenes
Buch, als die rechte Quintessenz der Greisenheit, unschmachhaft, ja
abgeschmackt Alles sollte notwendig sein und deswegen kein Gott.
"Koennte es denn aber nicht auch notwendig einen Gott geben?" fragten
wir. Dabei gestanden wir freilich, das wir uns den Notwendigkeiten der
Tage und Naechte, der Jahrszeiten, der klirnatischen Einflusse, der
physichen und animalischen Zustaende nicht wohl entziehen koennten: doch
fuehlten wir etwas in uns, das als vollkommene Willkuer erschien, und
wieder etwas, das sich mit dieser Willkuer ins Gleichgewicht zu setzen
suchte. Die Hoffnung, immer vernuenftiger zu werden, uns von den aussern
Dingen, ja von uns selbst immer unabhaengiger zu machen, konnten wir
nicht aufgeben. Das Wort Freiheit klingt so schon, dass mann es nicht
entbehren koennte und wenn es einen Irrtum bezeichnete.
Keiner von uns hatte das Buch hinausgelesen; denn wir fanden uns in
der Erwartung getaeuscht, in der wir es auf geschlagen hatten.
_System der Natur_ ward angekuendigt und wir hofften also wirklich
etwas von der Natur, unsere Abgoetten, zu erfahren. Physik und Chemie,
Himmels- und Erdbeschriebung, Naturgeschichte und Anatomie und so
manches andere hatte nun zeit Jahren und bis auf den letzten Tag uns
immer auf die geschmuechte grosse Welt hingeweisen, und wir hatten gern
von Sonnen und Sternen, von Planeten und Monden, von Bergen, Thaelern,
Fluessen und Meeren und von allem, was dann lebt und webt, das Naehere
sowie das Allgemeinere erfahren. Das hierbei wohl manches vorkommen
muesste, was dem gemeinen Menschen als schaedlich, der Geistlichkeit als
gefaehrlich, dem Staat als unzulaessig erschienen moechte, daran hatten wir
keinen Zweifel, und wir hofften, dieses Buechlein sollte nicht unwuerdig
die Feuerprobe bestauden haben. Allein wie hohl und leer ward uns in
deiser tristen Atheistischen Halbnacht zu Mute, in welcher die Erde mit
allen ihren Gebilden, der Himmel mit allen seinen Gestirnen verschwand!
Eine Materie sollte sein von Ewigkeit und von Ewigkeit her bewegt, und
sollte nun mit dieser Bewegung rechts und links und nach allen Seiten
ohne weiteres die unendlichen Phaenomene des Daseins hervorbringen.
Dies alles waeren wir sogar zufrieden gewesen, wenn der Verfasser
wirklich aus seiner bewegten Materie die Welt vor unsern Augen
aufgebaut haette. Aber er mochte von der Natur so wenig wissen als wir;
denn indem er einige allgemeine Begriffe hingepfahlt, verlaesst er sie
sogleich, um dasjenige, was hoeher als die Natur oder als hoehere
Natur in der Natur erschient, zur materiellen schweren, zwar bewegten,
aber doch richtungs- und gestaltlosen Natur zu verwandeln, und glaubt
dadurch recht viel gewonnen zu haben. Wenn uns jedoch dieses Buch
einigen Schaden gebracht hat, so war es der, das wir allen
Philosophie, besonderers aber der Metaphysick recht herzlich gram
wurden, und bleiben, dagegen aber auf lebendige Wissen, Erfahren,
Thun und Dichten uns nur desto lebhafter und leidenschaftlicher hinwarfen.
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