CHAPTER II.. Romance.

ROMANCE.

Digression inevitable in dealing with Diderot 24 Richardson's influence in Europe 26 Diderot's Eloge upon him 28 Rousseau and Richardson 29 Diderot writes The Nun (1796) 31 Circumstances of its composition 32 Its intention 33 And characteristics 35 Sterne 36 Diderot writes Jacques le Fataliste 37 Its history 38 Goethe's criticism on it 38 Nature of Diderot's imitation of Richardson and Sterne 40 No true creation in Jacques le Fataliste 41 Its unredeemed grossness 43 Its lack of poetry and of flavour 44