TURGOT.

I.

PAGE

Birth and family descent41

His youth at the Sorbonne47

Intellectual training52

His college friends: Morellet, and Loménie de Brienne54

Turgot refused to become an ecclesiastic56

His revolt against dominant sophisms of the time60

Letter to Buffon61

Precocity of his intellect65

Letter to Madame de Graffigny65

Illustrates the influence of Locke69

Views on marriage72

On the controversy opened by Rousseau72

Turgot's power of grave suspense76

II.

First Discourse at the Sorbonne78

Analysis of its contents80

Criticisms upon it86

It is one-sided87

And not truly historic88

Fails to distinguish doctrine from organisation89

Omits the Christianity of the East90

And economic conditions92

The contemporary position of the Church in Europe93

III.

Second Discourse at the Sorbonne96

Its pregnant thesis of social causation97

Compared with the thesis of Bossuet99

And of Montesquieu100

Analysis of the Second Discourse102

Characteristic of Turgot's idea of Progress106

Its limitation108

Great merit of the Discourse, that it recognises ordered succession110

IV.

Turgot appointed Intendant of the Limousin111

Functions of an Intendant112

Account of the Limousin114

Turgot's passion for good government118

He attempts to deal with the Taille119

The road Corvée121

Turgot's endeavours to enlighten opinion126

Military service129

" transport131

The collection of taxes132

Turgot's private benevolence133

Introduces the potato134

Founds an academy135

Encourages manufacturing industry136

Enlightened views on Usury137

Has to deal with a scarcity138

His plans139

Instructive facts connected with this famine142

Turgot's Reflections on the Formation and Distribution of Wealth149

V.

Turgot made Controller-General150

His reforms151

Their reception153

His unpopularity156

Difficulties with the king157

His dismissal158

His pursuits in retirement159

Conclusion162

[Transcriber's Note: Footnotes have been moved to end of book.]