Locke (1632-1704), Fnglish philosopher, author of the
on the Human Understanding. Many of Voltaire's own idtas are derived from Locke.
5. entel£chie, "In Aristotle's use: The realization or complett expression of some function; the condition in which a potentiality baa become an actuality." — Murray- nary.
Page 1 14. — 1. Somme de saint Thomas, the Sutnma of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1 --7-1 -74) is still the basis. .1 1 atholic dot u mai teaching.
2. selon Homere ; in Homer's Iliad, ■•shouts of inextinguishable laughter arise among the blessed Gods": cf. Iliad I, 509.
BABOUC.
Page 115.- 1. Baiouc is supposed to have been wiitttn by Voltaire during the last months of 1747 while Voltaire w.^ resid
bag at Sceaux with th I >U< b( tse dll Maine. Under pretext of describing Persepolis, Voltaire has in Baboui given a lively picture of eighteenth century Paris. Hi protests against certain abuses
that he has constantly attacked elsewhen e. g. tho habit of
church-burial (ch. Ill), the sale of positions in the army or on the bench (ch. VI), etc.
2. Sennaar, region situated between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Page 116. — 1. darique, Dane, gold coin of the ancient Persians.
Page 118. — 1. ancienne entree, the entrance referred to is that of the Faubourg Saint-Marceau. Cf. Candide, Chap. XXII: "II entra par le faubourg Saint-Marceau, et crut etre dans le plus vilain village de la Vestphalie."
Page 121. — 1. satrape de loi stands here for conseiller au parlement. The parlement de Paris under the old Regime was a sort of high court of justice divided into seven "chambres" and having also certain political functions. There were two principal classes of judges, the presidents or chief justices and the conseillers. The office was regarded as the private property of the judge and could either be sold or passed on to other members of his family. It was against this abuse that Voltaire protests here and elsewhere.
Page 126. — 1. demi-mage, half magic ian, here for Jansenist. — Zerdust is another form for Zoroaster. — Grand-lama =pope.
Page 131. — 1. petit vieillard, the Cardinal de Fleury (1657— 1743), minister of Louis XV, is meant.
Page 133. — 1. la belle T£one, Madame de Pompadour is probably referred to. See page 3, note i.
Page 135. — 1. Jeannot et Colin was first printed in 1764 in the Contcs de Guillaume Wide. It gives a vivid picture of society under the Old Regime with its excess of feminine and salon influence. For the whole subject, see Taine Origines de la France contemporaine, Chap. II {la Vie de Salon). Taine remarks: "On peut dire qu'en ce siecle la cheville ouvriere de l'education est le maitre a danser." Cf. what Voltaire says about Jeannot's education (p. 158): "Fnfin apres avoir examine le fort et le faible des sciences, il fut decide que monsieur le marquis apprendrait a danser."
