Changes

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==Personal Life and Morals==

==Personal Life and Morals==

In his private life Rousseau was selfish, irresponsible and an exploiter of women. He never married, but as a young man had a liaison with an older woman named Mme de Warens. At the age of 32, he took up with an illiterate laundress, Therese Levasseur, who bore him eight children. Rousseau sent all of them to be brought up in an orphanage because, as he explained in the second volume of his own ''Confessions'', he was far too busy writing and being famous to rear or support children. As a modern critic comments "the famed theoretician of enlightened child rearing and family values recounted his decision to place in an orphanage the eight children he had sired by his common-law wife, Therese Levasseur." <ref> Gender and Utopia in the Eighteenth Century: Essays in English and French Utopian Writing, ed. Brenda Tooley, Routledge, 2016. </ref>

In his private life Rousseau followed the principles of "nature" by being selfish, irresponsible and a callous exploiter of women. He never married, but had many mistresses and affairs throughout his life. As a young man had a liaison with an older woman named Mme de Warens. At the age of 32, he took up with an illiterate laundress, Therese Levasseur, who bore him eight children. Rousseau sent all of them to be brought up in an orphanage because, as he explained in the second volume of his own ''Confessions'', he was far too busy writing and being famous to rear or support children. As a modern critic comments "the famed theoretician of enlightened child rearing and family values recounted his decision to place in an orphanage the eight children he had sired by his common-law wife, Therese Levasseur." <ref> Gender and Utopia in the Eighteenth Century: Essays in English and French Utopian Writing, ed. Brenda Tooley, Routledge, 2016. </ref>

Rousseau knew that the infant mortality in these institutions was high, more than half, and as it turned out most of the children he sent there died. <ref> World History, Volume I, by William J. Duiker, ‎Jackson J. Spielvogel, 2008 </ref>

Rousseau knew that the infant mortality in these institutions was high, more than half, and as it turned out most of the children he sent there died. <ref> World History, Volume I, by William J. Duiker, ‎Jackson J. Spielvogel, 2008 </ref>

Rousseau moreover treated his common-law wife like a servant and in later life tried to blame her for his decision to abandon the children, calling her "ignorant, stupid, and a detestable mother". <ref> Reason and Revelation: From Paul to Pascal, by Richard H. Akeroyd - 1991.</ref>

Rousseau moreover treated his common-law wife like a servant and in later life tried to blame her for his decision to abandon the children, calling her "ignorant, stupid, and a detestable mother". <ref> Reason and Revelation: From Paul to Pascal, by Richard H. Akeroyd - 1991.</ref>

<ref> ''Defense and Complaint of Therese Levasseur [Defense et Plainte de Therese Levasseur]'' by Isabelle de Charriere, Paris, 1790. </ref>

<ref> ''Defense and Complaint of Therese Levasseur [Defense et Plainte de Therese Levasseur]'' by Isabelle de Charriere, Paris, 1790. </ref>

<ref> ''Jean-Jacques: The Early Life and Work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1712-1754,'' by Maurice Cranston, University of Chicago Press, 1991. </ref>

<ref> ''Jean-Jacques: The Early Life and Work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1712-1754,'' by Maurice Cranston, University of Chicago Press, 1991. </ref>

Although Rousseau lived with Thérese for twenty-five years, he had many other mistresses, following the principles of nature, and at his death he made no provision for her. It was only the generosity of the English King George III, who continued to pay Thérese until her death the pension he  had granted Rousseau, that saved her from starvation in her old age.

Although Rousseau lived with Thérese for twenty-five years, he had many other mistresses, and in 1769 he told her to leave him and go to live in a convent. She remained as his unpaid housemaid. At his death he made no provision for her. It was only the generosity of the English King George III, who continued to pay Thérese until her death the pension he  had granted Rousseau, that saved her from starvation in her old age.

<ref> ''The Architect King: George III and the Culture of the Enlightenment'', by David Watkin, Royal Collection, 2004. </ref>

<ref> ''The Architect King: George III and the Culture of the Enlightenment'', by David Watkin, Royal Collection, 2004. </ref>