SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF TAINE'S WORKS 251 



1855 (February)-i858 (January) 



Essais de critique et d'histoire [Critical and Historical Essays] 



Beginning early in 1855, soon after completion of the Voyage to the Pyrenees, 

 and continuing more or less unabated for the rest of his life, a steady stream of 

 critical essays flowed from Taine's pen, appearing chiefly in the Revue de 

 V Instruction Publique, Revue des Deux Mondes, and the Journal des Debats. During 

 the eight years which immediately follow'ed (1855-1863), however, there were 

 three main themes evident in these articles, providing the raw materials for as 

 many books: first, philosophy of history, most strongly evident in this first 

 collection of his essays; second, French philosophy, contemporary^ and of the 

 recent past; and third, English literature. 



These interests were all being pursued simultaneously and were, of course, 

 closely interrelated: thus, an article on the historian, Michelet, appeared in 

 February, 1855; two on Macaulay, in March, 1855; and the first on the French 

 philosophers, a review of Laromiguiere, in June, 1855 (Giraud, pp. 163-164). 

 Despite the fact that the book on French philosophy appeared first (1857), the 

 Critical and Historical Essays are listed first, since most of these had been written 

 before the more strictly philosophical book appeared, and they provide a natural 

 transition from Taine's concern with philosophy of history in the Essay on Livy. 



1858 (February). — Essais de critique et d^histoire, par H. Taine, Paris: Hachette, 

 1858, 412 pages. 



This volume underwent many changes in subsequent editions, as essays were 

 taken out for incorporation in other volumes (chiefly the History of English 

 Literature and the New Critical and Historical Essays) and replaced by others. 

 The definitive loth edition (1904), which we have used, included the prefaces 

 of both the ist and the 2nd (1866) editions, together with the following essays: 

 'LesCaracteres de La Bruyere' (February, 1855); 'Philosophic religieuse' 

 (August, 1855); 'Les jeunes gens de Platon' (September, 1855); 'M. Michelet' 

 (March, 1856); 'M. Guizot' (June, 1856); 'Xenophon' (July, 1856); 'Saint- 

 Simon' (July-August, 1856); 'Flechier' (November, 1856); 'Madame de la 

 Fayette' (February, 1857); 'M. Troplong et M. de Montalembert' (April, 



1857). 



1855 (June)-i856 (October) 



Les Philosophes classiques du XlXme siecle en France [The Classic Philosophers of the 

 19th Century in France] 



The first chapter appeared as a review of Laromiguiere (June, 1855); the 

 concluding chapters (later headed 'De la methode'), as 'L'analyse' (11 Septem- 

 ber, 1856) and 'Le Systeme' (9 October, 1856). 



The fact that he had published three successful books gave Taine the courage 

 to write this devastating polemic against Victor Cousin's 'eclecticism'. As he 

 made clear in the autobiographical 'Preface' to the 2nd edition (i860) : 



Le lecteur me pardonnera s'il considere qu'il s'agissait non de speculation 

 pure, mais d'une philosophic regnante, officielle, qui forme les esprits depuis 

 un quart de sidcle, qui les formera encore pendant un quart de siecle, qui 



