Abstract
The programme and arguments exploited by Chateaubriand in his 1802 work were already present in the sacred poetry of Louis XV' s reign. Most of these poets -of whom the most notable were Louis Racine, Le Franc de Pompignan and Gilbert -were sincere Catholics intent on defending and celebrating a religion which was under attack from the progress of unbelief. The didacticism of the sermon and the lyrical enthusiasm of prayer were their two major sources of inspiration. This 'counter-philosophy was as enlightened as the philosophy against which it was aimed, but it placed the light of faith above the light of reason ; it was at the heart of the Enlightenment's confrontation with Christianity, but its main error was to believe itself impregnable. The superiority of the Biblical over the pagan supernatural was proclaimed in 1750 by Fréron ; under Louis XVI, religious inspiration became more sensual, thus preparing Chateaubriand's rediscovery.
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