Nevertheless, Rousseau’s experience in Lyons was crucial for hiseducation and future work. Towards the end of his mandate as tutor, Rousseau wrote a report to M de Mably, to put forward his principles of education and show how they could be applied to the two children. The report contained an extensive curriculum and the themes which, in 1762, were eventually to lead to Emile. Nature and natural virtues occupy an important place in this treatise.
He did not feel very comfortable in his position as tutor and a year later he decided to resign. He returned to Chambery and was well received by Wintzenried, Madame de Warens’ new lover. Full of hopes, he soon realized that his past was behind. Rousseau returned to Lyons to get a letter of recommendation from M de Mably for Paris.
With the help of Mably’s connections Rousseau was introduced to the famous physicist Reamus at Paris. The latter introduced him to the Academy of Science, where Rousseau was able to present his dissertation on a new project of musical notation. His mornings were spent in walks in the Jarden du Luxembourg, learning by heart the works of Virgil. He spent his afternoons in literary circles. In August 1742, Rousseau discovered Voltaire’s theatrical work, as the Theatre Francis was playing ‘Mahomet’.
The new system of the musical notation was the subject of a report made by the Commissioners on September 5, 1742 Rousseau received compliments for his work. He immediately published his ‘Dissertation on Modern Music’.
Later Rousseau was appointed secretary to the ambassador of Venice. On July 10, 1743, he set out for Venice. He traveled from Marseilles to Genoa through Felucca. From Genoa to Venice via Milan, Padua and Verona, he reached the French embassy at Venice on September 4.
Venice was to play a decisive role in Rousseau’s thought and influence all his political work. Rousseau gained insight into how the republic was administered and compared it to Geneva.
He became aware of the role of politics in the city life and had the idea of a great work on political institutions, which was eventually to become The Contract Social.
Every Saturday, he wrote a long report for the king on behalf of the ambassador. He also corresponded with most European embassies. He did not get along well with the ambassador and the disagreement between them worsened and finally Rousseau was dismissed without pay. He left Venice angry and determined to obtain his dues.
During his brief sojourn, Rousseau visited concerts. This was the period when he truly discovered Italian music and hymns. He wrote the ‘La Lettre sur la musique francaise’ (letter on French music). The letter was published in 1753, and caused a considerable stir in Parisian intellectual circles.
After a long journey Rousseau arrived in Paris on October 10, 1744. He stayed there for some years and started working on ‘Les Muses Galantes’ again. During this period, Rousseau actively participated in Parisian life and culture. He enjoyed visiting the performances and the lively coffee houses of the capital. Having taken lodgings at Hotel St. Quentin, he got to know Therese Levasseur who took great care of him during his illness of the bladder. In the winter of 1746-47, she bore him a child who was abandoned at the foundling home.
In July 1745, Rousseau and Theresse moved into their home in the Rue Saint Denis, right next to the opera. Then, Rousseau expected opposition offered by Madame Dupin as private secretary.
Rousseau had an acquaintance with Diderot and they became close friends. Diderot wanted to publish a new Dictionnaire encyclopedique dessciences et des arts so he commissioned Rousseau to write articles on music.
LIFE
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born in Geneva on June 28, 1712. His parents came from contrasting family backgrounds. His father, Isaac Rousseau, a citizen of the republic belonged to the plebian class and was a watchmaker by profession, while his beautiful and educated mother Suzanne Bernard came from a well established civil family. Isaac was rather a passionate, reckless man, who could not make his profession a success in Geneva and hence moved to Constantinople.
Bowing to his wife’s will he soon returned. Baptism ceremony of the child born to this couple was celebrated as per the religious customs at St. Peter’s Cathedral on July 4 by the reverend senebies. The child was christened Jean-Jacques Valencon. Shortly after, his mother died. She had inherited some wealth including a good many books.
Isaac plied his trade and kept his home in Geneva for 10 more years. After a quarrel with a French officer, Isaac fled the city to Myon, 12 miles from Geneva, along the lake in Canten Vaud, where he continued his business. Later he married again.
Jean-Jacques had an elder brother who was of loose character but Jean-Jacques loved him tenderly.
His Early Childhood
Deprived of love and affection from parents Jean-Jacques’ early childhood was miserable.
Bereft of a mother’s care, he owed his life to aunt Madame Goncerut, who was a gentle lady. Her black hair forming two loops on her temples remained etched in Rousseau’s mind. He received from her his taste and passion for music.
Often in later years he found himself weeping like a child because he had chanced to remember and repeat some snatdres of the charming airs and verses that she sang :
Tircis, je n’ose Écouter ton chalumeau…
In the last years of her life, Jean-Jacques paid his aunt a small pension, to enable her to have the services of a maid.
Rousseau’s Reading Lessons
When Isaac’s watchmaking work was done and supper over, he would take a seat at table with the little boy, and together they would read a novel. It started as a reading lesson, but soon they got so engrossed that often they read through the night. These readings gave him bizarre and romantic notions of life.
The novel reading finished in 1719, when Rousseau was seven. Then he took to reading history, sitting in his father’s workshop. The lofty Plutarch became his school of virtue. He learned to prefer the generous hero and republican to the cruel and selfish despot. In his fertile imagination he was himself Agisilaus, Brutus, Aristeides.
Of His Readings, Rousseau Wrote
"These interesting readings, the conversations which they occasioned between my father and myself, formed in me that free and republican spirit, that unconquerable and proud character, impatient of yoke and of servitude, which has tormented me all through my life in situations least fitted for giving it expression."
Rousseau was a spiritual and intellectual hero. Although he did once seriously contemplate becoming a soldier, he had no desire for the rough and tumble of camps or the excitement and danger of battle.
Life in Rossey
At 10, Rousseau was placed in the care of his maternal uncle Bernard, a military engineer in the service of the city-state, after his father fled from Geneva in 1722. Rousseau felt neglected here.
He was sent to a private tutor, (a Protestant pastor) along with his young cousin at Bossey, about four miles away, at the base of Mont Salève.
Being in a pleasant land of pasture, valley and hills, Rousseau found the love of nature, which never left him. Along with the friendship of his cousin Bernard, Rousseau’s heart opened to other external things. He conceived also a rather morbid affection for the pastor’s daughter, who was 30 years old.
Rousseau greatly enjoyed the country and parsonage. But after he and his cousin were wrongly accused and beaten for some petty fault, Bossey was no more the same.
This act of early injustice and cruelty remained etched in the boy’s mind. It seemed to have poisoned the rest of his life.
Uncle Bernard withdrew the two boys from the tutor at the end of two years and took them to his home at the Grande Rue in Geneva.
Rousseau’s Odd Jobs
He did not attend any regular school after returning from Bossey. He and Bernard were taught mathematics and drawing by uncle Bernard. There was some talk of making him a pastor but fortunately there was not sufficient money to pay for his training.
After getting knowledge of some subjects in 1725, he did some odd jobs. He was placed as a notary with M Masseron but was soon dismissed for his ineptitude.
Next he was placed as an apprentice to an engraver, M Ducommun in April 1725. His master was an uncultured and violent man, who treated him without any sympathy.
Rousseau was poorly fed and rather harshly treated and hence developed a lackey spirit. He took to stealing little things – apples and asparagus and sheets of paper for drawing. This apprenticeship lasted for about four years and in the first half there was an obvious degeneracy of his character. In the latter half there was a revival of his love for reading. Now, he took to reading every book he could buy or borrow, and the more miserable he became with the engraver, the more he read.
He became an imaginary hero of Greek or Roman times. Gradually he recovered from the illusions of early youth.
The process of cultivating this dream world made him introspective and acquire the taste for solitude, which never left him. He ventured out with other boys into the countryside on free days, chiefly Sundays.
They were often rather late in returning and had to run for the city gate before it was closed at sundown. Twice the boys were late and had to spend the night outside in the glacier, after which Jean-Jacques would get a beating from his master.
On one such expedition, on March 14, 1728, when they were still 20 paces from the gate they saw the drawbridge rise. Jean-Jacques then decided not to return to his master and sent the message across to Bernard. Bernard made no efforts to retain Jean-Jacques. He brought some little presents, in particular a small dress sword for Rousseau. So Rousseau set forth into the unknown world, clad in his apprentice’s dress : short jacket, tight knee breeches, woolen hose, stout shoes and girt with his little dress sword. He was just over 16 when this odyssey began.
His Baptism
For some days Rousseau wandered about the near countryside, lodging at night with peasants who took him in, out of kindness. The good cure of Confignon, in Savoy, about six miles out of Geneva, took the boy into his house, gave him dinner, and heard his story. M de Pontverre was of a famous old Genevese family which had remained a successful Catholic convertor. He convinced Rousseau of the excellence of Catholicism and gave him a letter of recommendation, with the address of a charitable lady at Annecy, Madame de Warens, who also belonged to this system. Jean-Jacques Rousseau met Madame de Warens on a Palm Sunday on March 21, 1728. Rousseau had expected to meet an aged, rather sour-looking lady, but to his surprise he saw a beautiful gracious young woman with a dazzling complexion. She enchanted him. Madame de Warens was protected by the bist and had been given the task of conversion. She used her beauty for this purpose and for each conversion she was handsomely rewarded. Rousseau’s conversion earned her 10 crowns.
With monetary aid from Bishop and Madame de Warens, Rousseau traveled to Turin along with a boor and his wife Sabran. They left Annecy on March 24, 1728 on foot. The journey lasted a week. M Sabran delivered Rousseau, with his letter of introduction, at the hospice of the catechumens, the Spirito Santo, in Turin on April 12, 1728.
The hospice was a grim building and the inmates not much prepossessing. Though not a very good catechumen, Rousseau’s behavior was quite respectable. Later he submitted to instruction and was converted. His baptism took place at St. Giovanni’s Cathedral. He stayed in the hospice for some more weeks and later went into the life of city.
Naturally the first thing that Jean-Jacques did on regaining his liberty was to tour the city. All through his life Rousseau enjoyed the simple life. Young and in perfect health, Rousseau could sleep in the most modest of quarters, but his pocket could not for long suffice even this expenditure, so he looked for work that was neither too heavy not too regular.
Lackey’s Job
At first he did some odd jobs at a small shop, but his periods of regular employment were never to last long. But the good woman of the shop found him a place as lackey in a noble household. The Comtesse de Vercellis, whose service he now entered was a childless widow of high intelligence and of noble character. Jean-Jacques’ chief duty, more to his liking was to note down her dictation of letters. She conversed with Jean-Jacques and was interested to hear about Madame de Warens, from whom he received letters. Her manner was always dry and a little distant which Rousseau didn’t like. After three months of serving
Madame de Vercellis, she died of ill health. A rose colored silver ribbon which was of no particular value or utility went missing. Rousseau had stolen it. He didn’t conceal it and when charged with the theft, he said the maid Marianne gave it to him.
Marianne denied the charge but her conscientiousness was doubted. So the Count dela Roque dismissed them both, saying that the conscience of the guilty one would avenge the innocent.
Rousseau never heard of Marianne again but for the next 40 years he suffered agonies on her account. His career as a lackey was still on. He found a new post and remained in it about two years – the longest time that he ever kept a place until he was dismissed.
He got work in the ‘illustrious house of Solar’. The head of this house Count de Gouvan, treated Jean-Jacques with affability. From him Jean-Jacques learned some Latin and Italian. He also acquired a taste for Italian literature and discernment for good books.
The family wished a good future for him. They aimed at a secretarial career for him and thought the young, handsome quick-witted Rousseau, who also had a mastery of the French tongue and good handwriting could be a very useful secretary to an ambassador. But Rousseau, who was always his own worst enemy would not sacrifice the near aim for the distant, nor renounce an immediate pleasure. He had at the back of his mind the picture of Madame de Warens and the view of lake and countryside from the passage behind her house at Annecy. So he made himself negligent and offensive enough to get dismissed. His service with the Gouvons lasted five months.
His Return To Annecy
He returned to Annecy on foot and his heartbeats increased as he approached Madame de Warens’ house. He was assigned a room in her pleasant establishment overlooking the passage where they had met, the garden and the lake. Rousseau who was never an easy talker was in agony whenever he had to converse with Warens’. At Annecy he lived, in a half-real, half-imagined world. With plenty of time, he read and improved his power of thought. Warens and he often read together. She also gave him lessons in singing and in music.
In April 1730, Madame de Warens departed for Paris. Rousseau did not think of following her because he had almost no money nor her address. One morning while watching sunrise he began walking alongside a stream in a valley where he met two young girls of his acquaintance. He helped them cross the river and spent a bright, cheerful day together. They had a wonderful time picking cherries, after an enjoyable lunch in the meadow.
Shortly after, Annie Marie Merceret, the maid-servant left by Warens at Annecy decided to go home to Fribourg and asked Rousseau to escort her. They journeyed a fortnight on foot. They met Isaac Rousseau, on the way. At Fribourg Jean-Jacques lodged at an inn and dined once with Merceret’s family. Jean-Jacques, who thought that every woman who met him fell in love with him, believed that Merceret would have married him if he had asked her. Like all wanderers, Jean-Jacques every now and then professed to hanker after a quiet domestic family life, which, in fact, he never could have endured. Although he was genuinely interested in music, Jean-Jacques had no real knowledge of it, but he had a profound belief in luck.
He sought out a cheap lodging kept by M Perrotet, in Lausanne. There he called himself a Paris musician. Later he also managed an introduction to M Frederic de Treytorens, who held concerts in his house. Jean-Jacques played a small piece of music he had composed. He taught music and had a few pupils but lived poorly. In leisure he would walk. He also stayed for a couple of days at Vevey and for the rest of his life that peaceful, radiant village and the blue lake haunted him and during this stay, he became something of a musician himself.
In April 1731, Rousseau happened to meet a man who had difficulty in expressing himself. Jean-Jacques could understand him and from then on acted as his interpreter. This stranger was a Greek Bishop and archimandrite of Jerusalem and was charged with a nursion to Europe for the re-establishing of the Holy Sepulchre. They traveled to Berne, and then to Soleure where they met a French ambassador Marquis de Bonac. He expelled the Greek Bishop from the Canton. Rousseau threw himself at the ambassador’s feet and his obvious sincerity and romantic tale saved him. On the suggestion of a secretary, interpreter Rousseau was further sent to Paris as a cadet. He felt, in the midst of his dreams of military glory that his heart was not made for so much noise. Hence he refused to enter the military service and set forth for Lyons.
As soon as left Paris his spirits rose. He faced a lot of difficulties till he reached Lyons. Even there he failed to locate Madame de Warens. One day exhausted and tired he fell asleep by the roadside.
Luck favored him. As he sang, a man heard him with pleasure and offered him some work in copying music. The money sufficed him for the time till he heard from Madame de Warens who was now living at the provincial capital of Savoy, Chambery. For the rest of his life Jean-Jacques was often short of money, but never again had to go without food.
Chambery
Arriving at Chambery in October 1731, and taking up regular employment on the survey, Jean-Jacques entered upon a fixed course of life, which endured, almost unbroken, for nine years from 1732 to 1741. Later he had a good deal of trouble in persuading Madame de Warens that he was right in learning the Survey office. He showed his great plans of equipping his leisure for the profession of music. Warens who had now given up her Annecy work and was living in Chambery agreed. She now maintained a simple household, which was not to Jean-Jacques’ liking. Geometrical work on the survey and the calculations, which he had to make, aroused in him a taste for arithmetic and for painting. For music, Rousseau retained a constant attachment. At Chambery, he began to be known as a master of song and composition. A young organist called Abbe’ Palais, arrived at Chambery with whom Jean-Jacques made an acquaintance and they soon became inseparable. Together, with Warens’ consent, they began to hold concerts. The concerts increased Jean-Jacques’ local reputation and gained him pupils.
This pleasant stationary way of life with which Rousseau was becoming content was broken by a journey to Geneva and Besancon in 1733 and 1734 respectively. The object was to visit and take lessons from an Abbe’ Blanchard master of music. After getting back to Chambery, he tried to introduce some order into Warens’ affairs. He undertook numerous small journeys for his own diversion but partly for business on her account. She had amazing number of social and business connections all around, which took him to Nyon, Geneva, Grenoble, Lyons.
In the summer of 1736, Rousseau and Warens moved to a little cottage in the valley of Les Charmettes. Later they moved to the estate opposite which came to be known as ‘Charmettes’. This made Rousseau very happy. The walks and moments shared with Warens filled him with joy. ‘Les Charmettes’ was also the place where Jean-Jacques started writing.
At the beginning of their sojourn, everything brought Warens and Jean-Jacques closer : together looking after the garden, the orchard and the poultry. In certain respects their union was closer than ever before.
Suddenly Rousseau’s health deteriorated, "a kind of storm" raged in his heart, accompanied by an intense noise, which was to impair his hearing permanently. Imagining that he was suffering from a polypus of the heart, Jean-Jacques decided to consult a physician at Montpellier. On the way he made acquaintance with Madame de Larnage, a mother and housewife, with whom he had a passionate love affair. Rousseau discouraged mad love for five days at Valece and Montelimar, in the company of this charming traveling companion.
In March 1738, he returned to Chambery but when he came back from Montpellier he realized that the perfect life he had enjoyed uptil then had changed. Warens had a new lover and so Rousseau’s relationship with her soured. She proposed to remain friend but the situation did not suit Rousseau.
The following two years, Jean-Jacques spent most of his time alone at Les Charmettes. In spite of his bitterness, these solitary years were to be very studious and profitable in his education. He invented a method of reading the great minds and philosophers. He studied history and filled notebooks on astronomy and geography. He also wrote a short course in geometry.
He also worked on his music and wrote the first act of an opera, ‘Iptus’, inspired by Ovid. These were the beginnings of the great ideas which lay the foundation for Rousseau’s later years and his moral and philosophical principles.
In the spring of 1740, Rousseau decided to change his way of life. Full of ambition, he offered his services as tutor to Monsieur de Mobly, General Provost of the province of Lyons, writing him a proud letter of application. To his pleasant surprise he was hired at a fixed salary, with gratification. He had two pupils in his charge, a girl of nine, and her brother a year or two younger. Rousseau’s lack of experience, combined with the children’s jolly and lively nature prevented his educational principles from being a success.
The Ideas For Emily
Nevertheless, Rousseau’s experience in Lyons was crucial for hiseducation and future work. Towards the end of his mandate as tutor, Rousseau wrote a report to M de Mably, to put forward his principles of education and show how they could be applied to the two children. The report contained an extensive curriculum and the themes which, in 1762, were eventually to lead to Emile. Nature and natural virtues occupy an important place in this treatise.
He did not feel very comfortable in his position as tutor and a year later he decided to resign. He returned to Chambery and was well received by Wintzenried, Madame de Warens’ new lover. Full of hopes, he soon realized that his past was behind. Rousseau returned to Lyons to get a letter of recommendation from M de Mably for Paris.
With the help of Mably’s connections Rousseau was introduced to the famous physicist Reamus at Paris. The latter introduced him to the Academy of Science, where Rousseau was able to present his dissertation on a new project of musical notation. His mornings were spent in walks in the Jarden du Luxembourg, learning by heart the works of Virgil. He spent his afternoons in literary circles. In August 1742, Rousseau discovered Voltaire’s theatrical work, as the Theatre Francis was playing ‘Mahomet’.
The new system of the musical notation was the subject of a report made by the Commissioners on September 5, 1742 Rousseau received compliments for his work. He immediately published his ‘Dissertation on Modern Music’.
Later Rousseau was appointed secretary to the ambassador of Venice. On July 10, 1743, he set out for Venice. He traveled from Marseilles to Genoa through Felucca. From Genoa to Venice via Milan, Padua and Verona, he reached the French embassy at Venice on September 4.
Venice was to play a decisive role in Rousseau’s thought and influence all his political work. Rousseau gained insight into how the republic was administered and compared it to Geneva.
He became aware of the role of politics in the city life and had the idea of a great work on political institutions, which was eventually to become The Contract Social.
Every Saturday, he wrote a long report for the king on behalf of the ambassador. He also corresponded with most European embassies. He did not get along well with the ambassador and the disagreement between them worsened and finally Rousseau was dismissed without pay. He left Venice angry and determined to obtain his dues.
During his brief sojourn, Rousseau visited concerts. This was the period when he truly discovered Italian music and hymns. He wrote the ‘La Lettre sur la musique francaise’ (letter on French music). The letter was published in 1753, and caused a considerable stir in Parisian intellectual circles.
After a long journey Rousseau arrived in Paris on October 10, 1744. He stayed there for some years and started working on ‘Les Muses Galantes’ again. During this period, Rousseau actively participated in Parisian life and culture. He enjoyed visiting the performances and the lively coffee houses of the capital. Having taken lodgings at Hotel St. Quentin, he got to know Therese Levasseur who took great care of him during his illness of the bladder. In the winter of 1746-47, she bore him a child who was abandoned at the foundling home.
In July 1745, Rousseau and Theresse moved into their home in the Rue Saint Denis, right next to the opera. Then, Rousseau expected opposition offered by Madame Dupin as private secretary.
Rousseau had an acquaintance with Diderot and they became close friends. Diderot wanted to publish a new Dictionnaire encyclopedique dessciences et des arts so he commissioned Rousseau to write articles on music.
Unexpected Fame In Rousseau’s Life
In 1750, Rousseau suddenly became famous. His work on The Social Contract, exposed the role played by society and Emile showing the role of education was the subject of much controversy and discussion in Parisian intellectual circles.
From the moment Rousseau became famous, he wanted to retreat from the world.
Citizen Of Geneva
In the summer of 1754 Rousseau set out for Geneva accompanied by Therese. Rousseau got to knew the ministers Vernes, Pordian and Moultov. The warm welcome of the Genevans and return to his roots were both crucial for him. He decided to become the citizen of Geneva again.
Rousseau had now come back to the lake of his childhood; people in the streets recognized him and became popular among his fellow citizens.
Rousseau was invited to a six-day excursion around the lake and gladly accepted this opportunity. The other members of the party were the watchmaker, Theresse and his two sons, the physicist Jean-Andre and the naturalist Gulliaume-Antoine. The excursion left a deep impact on Rousseau and he was inspired to write The New Eloise.
In 1755, Rousseau’s relationship with Voltaire soured for the first time and hence in April 1756, Rousseau moved to L’Ermitage, with the intention of working on his new projects. However, no sooner had he settled, some friends started scheming against him to make him leave. While working on the fourth part of his novel Julie, Rousseau fell in love for Mme d’ Houdetot. Rousseau’s new found passionate love became the cause of numerous troubles and Rousseau had to leave L’Ermitage.
He moved to Mont-Louis. His work on Emile was condemned and publicly burned. Rousseau was warned, so he decided to leave for France and reached Yverdon in the Vaud territory but he had to leave this place too. He now moved to Motiers on the invitation of Mme Boy de la Tour to live in her country residence. As a precaution, he obtained the permission to reside there and to his surprise was well-received.
An Unexpected Marriage
Later for no obvious reasons, Rousseau decided to move to Bourgoin. Theresse joined him. To everyone’s surprise, on August 29, Rousseau and Therese were married at La Fountaine d’or, without a religious ceremony, in the presence of two witnesses and the mayor. She had been his companion for 23 years.
In Paris they lived in a very modest apartment. Working on Confessions took away much of his time. He even organized readings at home. He earned his living by copying music, something he was very good at. He enjoyed being with children, and during popular festivals he would show them kindness and fond attention.
In the afternoon Rousseau had several activities. To gather plants for his herbarium he would go to the country. He enjoyed the street life and the literary cafes. He liked debating with the crowds, meeting intellectuals and playing chess.
The herbarium Rousseau had so patiently put together was in fact intended for Madelon, Mme Boy de La Toue’s daughter. Rousseau wanted to initiate her into botany.
His herbarium was precise and complete, defining the characteristic of each plant and noting its French name and the family it belonged to.
Rousseau Realized His Death Was Near
In 1778, Rousseau had a premonition about his end and confided the manuscripts of his dialogues and confession to Paul Movltov, one of his faithful admirers and an old friend. Following this, he moved to a solitary cottage in the park of Ermenonville on the invitation of Marquis de Girardin. Here Rousseau spent his time in botany, composing music and writing. The park at Ermenonville was a perfect place for meditation.
Jean-Jacques abandoned himself to sweet memories; he recalled his past, his youth, his journey and in his last unfinished Reverie, he evoked the memory of Mme de Warens in terms of total love.
Towards the end, Rousseau’s health deteriorated and he had several attacks and nomite bile. Rousseau accepted the hospitality of Marquis de Giraden.
Rousseau’s Death And His Burial
On July 2, 1778, after Rousseau returned from his morning walk, he was overcome with a fit of violent headaches. He barely had time to sit down before he collapsed. The probable cause of his death was a heart attack or a sudden fit of uremia.
The great philosopher of the 18th century passed away on the evening of July 4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was buried on the Poplar Island where only a few days back, he had expressed his desire to find eternal peace. The funeral took place in the presence of a few of the Marquis’ friends.
This Island came to be as ‘The Elysium’ and became a place of pilgrimage. In June 1737, a French lyric, set to his own music was published in the ‘Mercure de France’. His first published work (intended for his mistress), a cantata called Le Verges de Madame La Baronne de Warens was published in 1739. It was a long poem where Rousseau celebrates the charms of the countryside, the benevolence of his protectors and joys of learning.
Encyclopedia (1742)
When Rousseau moved to Paris in 1742, he had an acquaintance with a French philosopher Denis Diderot. Diderot and D’Alembert wanted to publish a new Dictionnaire encyclopedique dessciences et des arts and hence they commissioned Rousseau to write (articles) entries on music for the French Encyclopedie. Rousseau was extremely pleased and enthusiastically wrote a large number of specialized essays, which he later was to use for his Dictionary of Music.
His encyclopedia was acquired by the town library of Geneva.
Discourse On The Arts And Sciences (1750)
Rousseau won a prize for this essay. He maintained that Arts and Science have not seduced man from his natural and noble state decreasing his freedom.
Here, Rousseau also commented that civilization had corrupted human beings morally. According to him the prize of human civilization is human freedom and individuality.
In 1753, his sensational publication appeared on Discours Sur Les Fondements de I’ inegaliteparmi Les Hommes.
Discourse On The Origin Of Inequality Among Mankind <(1755); trans. 1761 >
Rousseau has re-emphasized the natural goodness of Man and the corrupting influences of the institutionalized life in this book.
The Social Contract
This is Rousseau’s famous political treatise. It is basically a philosophical discussion of civic freedom and personal freedom. He developed a case for civil liberty and helped prepare the ideological background of the French Revolution by defending the popular will against divine right. The civic freedom or political right is concerned primarily with the fundamental principles on which true government, irrespective of functionally particular forms of government, must be based.
At the foundation of Rousseau’s thought on the government and authority is the idea Social Contract, in which government and authority form a mutual contract between the authorities and the governed. Of course this contract implies that the people agree to be ruled only so their rights, property and happiness be protected by their rulers. Once these rulers cease to protect the ruled, the social contract is broken and the people are true to choose another set of rulers or governors.
It is essential for the human being that civic freedom and equality be secured for all. The only valid basis for a community way of life that respects the requirements of human freedom is that this community or political society must be the result of a free association, or in fact, it is a social contract, of intelligent human beings who deliberately choose to form the particular type of political society to which they agree to give their willing allegiance. In this manner, each individual uniting with all obeys his greater self and continues to be as free as ever before.
Rousseau argued that the mature citizen finds fulfillment in a community experience, fraternity and equality with other citizens, who willingly live in accordance with the same ideal. The citizen become a body politics, and a corporate self, or public person, in which each acquires a higher form of liberty and in which each actualizes his individual self fully. As a result, the corporate moral being, the state, was brought into existence.
In his work on Social Contract Rousseau’s view that the social contract devised by men in order to make their property secure could not have been formed in the state of nature, but on the contrary, must have been a hoax perpetrated in society by the rich upon poor. Of course this might have seemed superficially plausible because they would have referred to the impractical rule of law and to the security of every man, but its real aim would have been to establish such order as was necessary to preserve the estates of few persons at the expense of many others.
Moreover, Rousseau believed that by their own agreement, the poor would have been required to repudiate their right to share the wealth, which men of property, enjoyed, with the effect that in exchange for peace and protection of their lives. For this, Rousseau puts it his thought as under :
"All ran headlong to their chains, believing they had secured their liberty."
This was his masterpiece, with its slogan, ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’ it became the Bible of French revolutionaries.
Julie or New Eloise (1761; trans. 1773)
Here, Rousseau profoundly influenced romanticism in literature and philosophy in the early 19th century. Secluded at Montamorency, Rousseau wrote the romance Julie or the New Eloise constantly working on it for five years. It was composed of a collection of letters, with a romantic plot and surprising developments. The novel was an immediate success.
Emile (1762)
Emile was Rousseau’s work on Education. Rousseau’s views on monarchy and governmental institutions outraged the people in power. His ideas on natural religion were unorthodox to both Catholics and Protestants.
During his stay in England Rousseau prepared the manuscript for his posthumously published treatise on botany La Botanique.
Century Of Enlightenment
Here he puts forward the view that education must pay particular attention to sentiment and to Nature, and should start by forming the character rather that the mind. Rousseau then proceeds to sharply criticize social inequalities. He defends the rights of the poor and disinherited, proclaiming that sovereignty should be given to people. He denounces theatrical entertainment, detrimental to individual well-being and a cause of isolation. He advocates the respect of Nature and argues against technological progress.
Confessions (1782 trans. 1783, 1790)
After returning to France in 1768, Rousseau completed the manuscript of his most remarkable work, the autobiographical confessions, which contained a penetrating self-examination and revealed emotional and moral conflicts in his life.
After completion of his confessions, Rousseau explicitly requested Dr. Peyrou that the Confessions not be disclosed to the public until after his death.
Contributions and His Influence
Rousseau contributed greatly to the movement in Western Europe for individual freedom and against the absolutism of Church and state. But his conception of the state as the embodiment of the abstract will of the people and his arguments for strict reinforcement of politicals and religious confirmity are regarded by some historians as a source of totalitarian ideology.
Rousseau’s theory of education led to more permissive and more psychologically oriented methods of childcare, and influenced the German educator Friedrich Hoeble, the Swiss educational reformer Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, and other pioneers of modern education.
Rousseau also affected the development of psychological literature, psychoanalytical theory and 20-century existentialism, particularly in his insistence on free will, his rejection of the doctrine of original sin, and his defence of learning through experience rather than analysis.
Rousseau’s writings left nobody indifferent, nor indeed did his music. Mozart, who was nine years of age in 1765, happened to see The Cunning Man, which was regularly performed at the Opera. He was deeply impressed and is said to have been inspired by it for the composition of Bastien et Bastienne.
Recognition
Rousseau’s works cover about 16,000 pages. His ideas were innovative and even revolutionary.
The iconography of his postcards is immense; more than 1,000 documents concerning Rousseau have been registered.
JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU <1712 – 1778 >
Perhaps the singlemost enlightened important writer was the philosopher, novelist, composer, music theorist and language theorist and – Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Rousseau is known not merely for his ideas, but for his passionate rhetoric, which enflamed a generation and beyond.
The central problem he confronted throughout his life sums up in the first sentence of his most famous work, The Social Contract :
"Man is born free but everywhere is in chains."
• June 28, 1712
Born in Geneva to Isaac and Suzanne.
• 1719
Jean-Jacques finished his novel reading and then took to reading history.
• 1722
His father fled from Geneva. Jean-Jacques was placed in the care of his maternal uncle Bernard.
• 1722
He was sent to a private tutor in Bossey along with his cousin.
• August 1724
The boys were taken to their home in the Grande Rue at Geneva.
• 1725
He was placed with M Masseron, to be made a notary.
• April 1725
He was apprenticed to an engraver.
• March 14, 1728
He decided not to return to his master.
• March 15, 1728
He left Geneva.
• March 21, 1728
Rousseau met Madame de Warens’ on a Palm Sunday.
• March 24, 1728
Left for Turin.
• April 12, 1728
Reached hospice inn in Turin.
• June 1728
He left the Hospice.
• June 1729
He returned to Madame de Warens in Annecy.
• July 1730
He went to Lausanne.
• October 1731
Arrived at Chambery.
• 1732
Took up regular employment on the survey.
• 1733
Journey to Geneva. Madame de Warens became his mistress.
• 1734
Journey to Besancon.
• 1738
He became ill and went to Montpellier where he had a liaison with Madame de Caranye. He ended his relationship with Madame de Warens.
• 1740
He became a tutor at Lyon.
• 1741
He went to Paris as he did not like teaching.
• 1742
He presented a new system of music to the academy of sciences.
• September 5, 1742
He published his ‘Dissertation on Modern Music.’
• 1744-45
Became the ambassador to Venice, Comte de Montaigu.
• 1750
Publication on Discourse of the Sciences and the Arts.
• 1752
His production the opera "Village Sage" was first performed.
• 1754
He returned to Geneva and abjures his abjuration of the Protestant religion. Henceforth he called himself Citizen of Geneva.
• 1755
Discourse on Inequality published.
• 1756
He moved back to Paris in a cottage at Montemorency and wrote Julie or New Eloise.
• 1761
His work on New Eloise or Julie was published.
• 1762
His publication of his influential novel Emile (trans 1763) and The Social Contract which forced him to leave France to avoid arrest.
• 1763
He renounced citizenship of Geneva.
• 1765
He was driven from Motiers to the Island of St. Pierre.
• 1766
He began work on Confessions.
• 1770
He wrote many of his important works while in Paris. Over the next eight years, including his famous Dialogues and Reveries.
• July 2, 1778
He died in Ermenonville, France.
• On Himself
"Son of a watchmaker, I was destined to be an artisan."
•On His Aunt
"A sister of my father, an amiable and wise woman, took so great care of me that she saved me. Dear aunt, I forgive you for having made me live, and I grieve at not being able to pay back to you at the end of your days the tender care which you lavished on the commencement of mine."
•On Contradicting Himself
"A character of effeminate, but nevertheless unconquerable, fleeting always between feebleness and courage, between weakness and virtue, has placed me always in contradiction with myself, so that abstinence and joy, pleasure and wisdom, have equally escaped me."
•On Bossey Losing Its Charm
"Our the countryside even lost in Our eyes that attraction of sweetness which goes to the heart… we ceased to cultivate our little gardens, our plants and flowers."
•On Expeditions On Free Days
"We forgot the time, we did not reckon the distance, we enjoyed sweet liberty, we thought of nothing."
•On Independence
"The independence which I believed I had acquired was the only sentiment affecting me… I had entered with security into the vast space of the world."
•On Ambition
"My ambition was limited to a single chateau. Favored by the lord and lady, loved by the daughter, the friend of son, the protector of the neighbors, I would be content : nothing more would be needed."
•On Adversity
"Adversity is the great teacher but this teacher makes us pay clearly for its instruction, and often the profit we derive, is not worth the price me paid."
• On Death of Madame de Vercellis
"I can say that she made the Catholic religion lovable for me, through the serenity of soul with which she fulfilled her duties, without negligence and without affectation."
•On Children
"The training of children is a prefers’on, where we must know how to waste time in order to save it."
•On Conscience
"Conscience is the voice of the soul the passions of the body."
•On Education
"We are born weak, we need strength; helpless, we need aid; foolish, we need reason. All that we look at birth, all that we need when we come to man’s estate; is the gift of education."
•On Evil
"Our greatest evils flow from ourselves."
•On Freedom
"A country cannot subsist well without liberty, nor liberty without virtue."
•On Goodness
"Our will is always for our own good, but we do not always see what that is."
•On Heroes
"How many famous and high-spirited heroes have lived a day to long ?"
•On Judgment & Judges
"Do not Judge, and you will never be mistaken."
•On Love
"Our affections as well as our bodies are in perpetual flux."
•On Modesty
"Although modesty is natural to man, it is not natural to children. Modesty only begins with the knowledge of evil."
•On Nations
"Most nations, as well as people are impossible only in their youth; they become incorrigible as they grow older."
•On Promises
"Those that are most slow in making a premise are the most faithful in the performance of it."
•On Silence
"Absolute silence leads to sadness. It’s the image of death."
•On Sympathy
"We pity in others only those evils which we ourselves have experienced."
•On Virtue
"Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it we have always to contact with ourselves."
•On Work
"It is too difficult to think nobly when one thinks only of earning a living."
•On Tax Gatherers
"I came out of his house in as much, indignation as pity, deploring the lot of these beautiful lands where nature has been prodigal of her wealth only to make them the prey of tax gatherers."
•On Nature
"The view of the country, the succession of agreeable sights, the great air, the great appetite, the good health which I gain when walking, the liberty of the inn, the removal of everything which makes me feel my dependence, of everything which recalls my situation to me all this disengages my spirit, gives me a greater audacity of thought. I feel all nature at my disposal."
•On Study
"Study has a charm which brings it about that when it has once been tasted one cannot give it up."
