CHAPTER IV.

THE PROTECTIVE SPIRIT CARRIED BY LOUIS XIV. INTO LITERATURE. EXAMINATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE INTELLECTUAL CLASSES AND THE GOVERNING CLASSES.

The protective spirit in France, having produced these political evils, was carried into literature under Louis XIV., and caused an alliance between literature and government 176-177

Servility in the reign of Louis XIV. 177-181

Men of letters grateful to Louis XIV. 182

But his system of protecting literature is injurious 183-188

Its first effect was to stop the progress of science 188-192

Even in mechanical arts nothing was effected 192-194

Decline in physiology, in surgery, and in medicine 194-197

Also in zoology and in chemistry 197

Nor was anything done in botany 198-202

Intellectual decay under Louis XIV. was seen in every department of thought, and was the natural consequence of patronage 202-205

Illustrations from the history of French art 205-208

And from every branch of literature 208-210

Universal decline of France during the latter part of the reign of Louis XIV. 210-212