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The Marquis D'Argenson: A Study in Criticism / Being the Stanhope Essay: Oxford, 1893 cover

The Marquis D'Argenson: A Study in Criticism / Being the Stanhope Essay: Oxford, 1893

Chapter 14: NOTES.
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About This Book

The essay follows a prominent aristocrat's progression from youth to high office, charting his successive public roles and administrative responsibilities. It recounts involvement in fiscal and parliamentary conflicts, provincial governance, press regulation, diplomatic affairs, and participation in political and intellectual circles. The author critically examines policy choices, diplomatic maneuvers, and reactions to financial and military crises while weighing personal motives, family ties, and character traits. Narrative chapters are interwoven with documentary correspondence and evaluative commentary, offering both chronological biography and critical assessment of effectiveness and influence.

(1784) 265 note, "More than thirty years."

Sometimes the strongest evidence consists in slight touches of expression, e.g.:—

93     (1784) cf. 107     (1764): "les vertus sociales" for "des manières polies."
104   (1784) "l'Être Suprème, auteur du Droit Naturel."
163   (1784) cf. 175     (1764): "en morale et en philosophie"
     for "en morale et en politesse."
172        " cf. 187         " "on se pique de générosité."

This evidence proves conclusively that a considerable period must have elapsed between the composition of the texts, a period extending beyond the close of d'Argenson's ministry. The revised version can scarcely be earlier than 1748 and scarcely later than 1752. It is separated from the original by ten to fifteen years.

(b) Chapters VII., IX., and Conclusion. These chapters are immeasurably in advance of the rest of the work, and represent a complete revolution of ideas. We know, on the witness of his invaluable Journal, that about the year 1753 such a revolution took place in d'Argenson's mind; and that any time between 1753 and his death in 1757 such ideas were possible and natural to him [see this essay, Chapter V.]. This portion of the work may be placed approximately about the year 1755.


C.
D'ARGENSON'S VIEWS ON PUBLIC QUESTIONS PRIOR TO HIS ACCESSION TO THE MINISTRY.
("Journal et Mémoires," Rathery, I.-IV.)

See for—

A. The action of France with regard to the commercial rivalry between Spain and England.—I. 325, 328; II. 303, 330, 382, 390; III. 39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50-1, 55, 59, 83, 145, 164, 170, 217, 245, 312, 318, 319, 419, 435-38; IV. 14, 19, 36.

B. The question of the Imperial Succession.—I. 304-5, 323, 330; III. 208 (death of Emperor), 208-11, 215, 216, 218, 221, 229, 230, 238, 239, 240, 245, 246, 249, 253, 260, 266, 268, 274, 276, 278, 279, 285, 290-91, 295, 296, 299, 300, 303-5, 309, 310, 317, 322, 327, 328, 342, 342-3, 344, 346, 350, 354, 356, 367, 375, 378, 384, 394, 396; IV. 13, 15, 51, 81, 82, 85, 86, 95.

C. The State of the Interior.—I. 342; II. 72, 148-49, 158-59, 165, 194, 218; III. 84, 92, 96, 97, 100, 131, 167, 169, 170-71, 173, 178, 205, 207, 213, 215, 222, 224, 280, 287, 310, 312, 363, 371, 380, 401-2, 403, 417, 418, 423, 434; IV. 69, 76, 83, 107-9.

D. The Character of Louis XV.—I. 290, 335; II. 273; III. 81, 111, 124, 133, 138, 147, 148, 179, 182-84, 189, 192, 226, 243, 245, 257, 264, 265, 275, 308, 369, 370, 386, 387, 391, 393, 405, 409, 412, 413, 414, 415, 421, 424, 429, 430; IV. 47, 51, 52, 60, 68, 101, 103.

E. Frederick of Prussia.—III. 28, 105, 108, 109, 112, 138, 143, 153, 240, 249, 250, 290-91, 294, 299, 317, 378, 383, 395; IV. 13, 56.


D.
INDEX TO THE GREAT PUBLIC QUESTIONS NOTICED IN THE LAST FIVE VOLUMES OF D'ARGENSON'S JOURNAL.
The volumes V.—IX. embrace the period 1746-56.

A. D'Argenson's views on the conduct of French policy at home and abroad.—V. 102, 119, 123, 138, 276, 301, 361, 409, 413, 425, 441, 443, 472; VI. 46, 49, 51, 114, 136, 159, 181, 197, 200, 209, 245, 252, 256, 268, 271, 288, 296, 305, 314, 317, 327, 336, 359, 383, 424, 425, 451; VII. 79, 81, 102, 118, 144, 232, 284, 299, 332, 370, 387, 391, 404, 434; VIII. 8, 37, 166, 220, 299, 324, 339, 357, 478; IX. 74, 111, 112, 300.

B. The Political Opposition.—V. 138, 142, 227, 230, 238, 250, 268, 278, 339, 343, 346, 352, 356, 365, 369, 372, 380, 384, 402, 404, 409-11, 415-16, 425, 433, 444, 454; VI. 10, 11, 15, 24, 39, 61, 151, 172, 174, 183, 191, 211-12, 213-16, 217, 219, 228, 240, 243, 257, 258-59, 265, 277, 318, 319-20, 330, 403, 425, 450, 452, 458, 464; VII. 23, 86, 199, 233, 243, 266, 284, 294, 296, 330, 339, 342, 369, 374, 379, 394, 448, 450, 464; VIII. 11, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 33, 35, 55, 72, 80, 110, 113, 116, 124, 126, 152, 153, 160, 162, 176, 189, 203, 222, 248, 265, 272, 302, 309, 313, 315, 344, 365, 397, 445, 452; IX. 9, 48, 112, 221, 227, 247, 294, 334, 336, 361, 366, 368, 370, 376, 377.

C. The "Philosophical" Opposition.—VI. 10, 26, 34, 81, 209, 249, 310, 353, 390, 464; VII. 47, 51, 56-7, 58, 63, 68, 71, 95, 97, 106, 110, 112, 123, 130, 224, 242, 294-95, 309, 419, 424, 457, 464; VIII. 3, 18, 35, 43, 57, 60, 64, 66, 95, 141, 202, 289, 333, 372, 386, 439; IX. 7, 22, 182, 220.

D. Relations with Prussia. Change in alliances.—V. 141, 210, 251, 252; VI. 302, 338; VII. 50, 79, 302; VIII. 62, 164; IX. 61, 136, 180-81, 185, 278-79, 280-82, 284, 289, 312, 324-25, 328, 356.

E. Relations with England.—V. 90, 91, 138, 428; VI. 46, 68, 97, 153, 171, 301, 335, 344, 346, 354, 464, 473; VII. 15, 31, 54, 98, 140, 287, 388, 397, 401; VIII. 73, 83, 100, 110, 188, 196, 348, 400, 450, 452, 460, 467, 476; IX. 16, 28, 33, 93, 100, 107, 117, 145, 168, 178, 229, 235, 239, 253, 260, 273, 300.


NOTES.


NOTES.