Pierre Bayle and His Literary Taste

Abstract

Since Desnoiresterres, Voltaire's biographer, remarked that Pierre Bayle's works had fallen into complete oblivion, there has been a decided change among literary critics in their attitude toward this great French critic and philosopher. Not so very long ago Brunetière in one of his characteristic essays lamented the ingratitude and injustice shown by posterity to the refugee of Rotterdam. In recent histories of French literature, a more searching and a more sympathetic appraisal of his works is to be found, and Bayle shares an equal place with his younger contemporary, Fontenelle. Due recognition is invariably rendered Bayle for his prodigious scholarship, his unimpeachable logic, and his critical power and acumen—qualities which caused Sainte-Beuve to style him “le plus accompli critique qui se soit rencontré dans son genre,” and Brunetière “un maître des esprits.” Yet, while granting Bayle high critical and reasoning qualities, critics with only a few exceptions have regarded him as lacking in literary taste and appreciation and have found fault with his loose style and careless composition. It is the object of this essay to determine the extent and value of these criticisms and to examine Bayle's literary characteristics. An attempt is made to show that literary critics have been too severe in completely denying Pierre Bayle a qualification which he possessed in no mean degree, though it was greatly overshadowed by his all-absorbing passion for pure thought and ideas.