Malebranche, (1638-1715) celebrated French metaphysician

3. Leibnitz (i 646-1 716), German scientist and philosopher; he formulated the system of ^^ monads " according to which there exists between the soul and the body a " preestablished harmony.*'.

4. Locke (1632-1704), English philosopher, author of the Essay on the Human Understanding. Many of Voltaire's own ideas are derived from Locke.

5. ent^l^chie, "In Aristotle's use: The realization or complete expression of some function ; the condition in which a potentiality has become an actuality." — Murray's New English Dictionary.

Pagre 114* — I. Somme de saint Thomas, the Summa theologica of Saint Thomas Aquinas (i 227-1 274) is still the basis of Catholic doctrinal teaching.

2. selon Hom^re ; in Homer's Iliad, " shouts of inextinguishable laughter arise among the blessed Gods " : cf . Iliad I, 599.

BABOUC.

Pagre 116. — I. Babouc is supposed to have been written by Voltaire during the last months of 1747 while Voltaire was residing at Sceaux with the Duchesse du Maine. Under pretext of describing Persepolis, Voltaire has in Babouc given a lively picture of eighteenth century Paris: He protests against certain abuses that he has constantly attacked elsewhere — e. g. the habit of

158 NOTES [P.lie-136

church-burial (ch. Ill), the sale of position^ in the army or on the bench (ch. VI), etc.

2. Sennaar, region situated between the Tigris and the Euphrates.

Pasre 116* — I. dariqu«, Daric^ gold coin of the ancient Persians.

Pagre 118* — i. ancienne entr^, the ^^/y-a^^^ referred to is that of the Faubourg Saint-Marceau. Cf. Candide, Chap. XXII: "II entra par le faubourg Saint-Marceau, et crut 6tre dans le plus vilain village de la Vestphalie."

Pagre 121* — i. satrape de lot stands here for conseiller au parlemenU 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.

Pagre 1 26. — i . demi-mage, half magician^ here for Jansenist. — Zerdust is another form for Zoroaster. — Grand-lama —pope,

Pagre 181 . — I. p«tit yieillard, the Cardinal de Fleury (1657- 1743), minister of Louis XV, is meant.

Pagre 188* — i. la belle T6one, Madame de Pompadour is probably referred to. See page 3, note i.

Pagre 185* — i. Jeannot et Colin was first printed in 1764 in the Contes de Guillaume Vadi, 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 contemporainey Chap. II (la Vie de Salon), Taine remarks: "On pent dire qu*en ce si^cle la cheville ouvri^re de Teducation est le maitre ^ danser." Cf. what Voltaire says about Jeannot's education (p. 158): "Enfin apr^s avoir examine le fort et le faible des sciences, il fut decide que monsieur le marquis apprendrait ^ danser."

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