e states, theological, metaphysical, and
positive, through which the mind of humanity is alleged to have
travelled.

In the second half of the century, history tended to become
doctrinaire, aggressive, declamatory--a pamphlet in the form of
treatise or narrative. Morelly wrote in the interest of socialistic
ideas, which correspond to those of modern collectivism. Mably,
inspired at first by enthusiasm for the ancient republics, advanced
to a communistic creed. Condorcet, as the century drew towards a close,
bringing together the ideas of economists and historians, traced
human progress through the past, and uttered ardent prophecies of
human perfectibility in the future.

II

Poetry other than dramatic grew in the eighteenth century upon a
shallow soil. The more serious and the more ardent mind of the time
was occupied with science, the study of nature, the study of society,
philosophical speculation, the criticism of religion, of government,
and of social arrangements. The old basis of belief upon which reposed
the great art of the preceding century had given way. The analytic
intellect distrusted the imagination. The conventions of a brilliant
society were unfavourable to the contemplative mood of high poetry.
The tyranny of the "rules" remained when the enthusiasm which found
guidance and a safeguard in the rules had departed. The language
itself had lost in richness, variety, harmony, and colour; it was
an admirable instrument for the intellect, but was less apt to render
sensations and passions; when employed for the loftier purposes of
art it tended to the oratorical, with something of over-emphasis and
strain. The contention of La Motte-Houdart that verse denaturalises
and deforms ideas, expresses the faith of the time, and La Motte's
own cold and laboured odes did not tend to refute his theory.

Chaulieu (1639-1720), the "poete de la bonne compagnie," an
anacreontic senior, patriarch of pleasure, survived the classical
century, and sang his songs of facile, epicurean delights; his friend
La Fare (1644-1712) survived, but slept and ate more than a songster
should. Anthony Hamilton (1646?-1720) wrote graceful verses, and in
his brilliant _Memoires de la Vie du Comte de Gramont_ became the
historian of the amorous intrigues of the court of Charles II.
Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (1670-1741), who in the days of Mme. de
Maintenon's authority had in his sacred _Cantates_ been pious by
command, recompensed himself b