| Citation |
BC.768.035
9-16 May 1768:1982,1983 (1/22)
Anecdotes of Mr. Rousseau. Mr. Rousseau (says M. de
Voltaire, who is supposed to give our author these
anecdotes) is a composition of oddities and contradictions.
. . [5 lines] His father, who was a citizen of Geneva, kept
a music-shop there. He was at great expence to give his son
a learned education, which indeed was not thrown away, as
Rousseau has given several proofs of his being an exalted
genius; but these are all sunk and obscured by the
affectation and singularity of his character. He professes
to hold the public in such contempt, that he has often
declared that his ambition was to be hissed. A piece of
his, called Hippolitus, or the Lover of Himself, was played
at the French Comedy. 'Till it fell, he never declared
himself the author. As soon as it was generally exploded,
he went to the Procope's Coffee-house, and told the wits
there that the piece that had met with such general
disapprobation was of his composition, and that he wrote on
purpose to be hissed. . . [6 lines]
His whimsical singularity of character was never more
conspicuous than at the time of the controversy concerning
the French and Italian music. It was occasioned by the
arrival of a company of Italian strollers that were sent for
from Italy by the director of the opera, who finding his
theatre deserted by the public, thought that the bait of
novelty would have powerful charms for the French, who from
a natural levity run after every thing new, whether good or
bad. The success answered his expectations; the Italians,
who played twice a week, never failed to draw numerous
audiences, whilst the singers of the French Opera performed
every night to empty benches.
This piqued some of our countrymen, who think patriotism
consists in extolling the genius of their own nation, and
depreciating the people of all other countries as
barbarians, the party spirit grew stronger every day, and
its influence drew crowds to the French opera, which would
have fallen, no doubt, if it had had no other support but
its own merit.
About this time Rousseau's Devin du Village was performed
with unparallelled success; and this greatly contributed to
counterballance the reputation of the Italians, whose music
was every day gaining new partisans amongst the French:
Upon this occasion, a controversy was set on foot concerning
the comparative merits of the music of both nations, and
managed with as much warmth as if the interest of church or
state was concerned. Rousseau at this juncture pursued a
conduct which appeared to be diametrically opposite to his
interest; but this heteroclite genius was in all his actions
influenced by motives different from those that actuate
other people: He warmly espoused the cause of Italian
musick, and his zeal even carried him so far, that he often
headed a party of Italianists, and joined with them in
hissing his own opera.
Not contented with running down the French music in all
the coffee-houses of Paris, he published a most virulent
invective against it; whereupon the Director of the Opera
deprived him of the freedom of the house, which, as an
author, he was before entitled to. His invective made him
so odious, that he was more than once knocked down in the
streets by ruffians hired by the partisans of the opera; and
durst not so much as venture into a coffee-house, or any
place of public resort, without being accompanied by a
Musqueteer of his acquaintance, who was ready to take his
part in case any one insulted him. . . [15 lines, conclusion
of Rousseau's vanity.]
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