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Line 1: − [[File:Marquis d'Argens 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Marquis d'Argens]] − '''Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens''' (June 24, 1704 - January 11, 1771) was a [[France|French]] philosopher and writer. − − ==Life== − − ==Life== − D'Argens was born in [[Aix-en-Provence]], the eldest son of a magistrate who was made a marquis in 1720. He was given an intensive Catholic and classical education at the hands of the Jesuits, but became a skeptic and eventually a Deist. An arch-opponent of the Catholic Church, intolerance and religious oppression, his books were frequently denounced by the [[Inquisition]]. In 1724 he accompanied the French ambassador on a journey to [[Constantinople]], where he lived for a year. After an adventurous youth, he was disinherited by his father. He then settled for a time in [[Amsterdam]], where he wrote his Memoirs and the celebrated ''[[Jewish Letters (novel)|Lettres juives]]'' (The Hague, 6 vols, 1738-1742). It was followed by ''Lettres chinoises'' (The Hague, 6 vols, 1739-1742), and ''Lettres cabalistiques'' (2nd ed., 7 vols, 1769). Next came the ''Mémoires Secrets de la République des Lettres'' (7 vols, 1743-1478), afterwards revised and augmented as ''Histoire de l'esprit humain'' (Berlin, 14 vols, 1765-1768). He also wrote six novels, which are entertaining, witty and delightful. − Line 14:
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[[File:Marquis d'Argens 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Marquis d'Argens]]
[[File:Marquis d'Argens 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Marquis d'Argens]]
'''Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens''' (June 24, 1704 - January 11, 1771) was a [[France|French]] philosopher and writer who made a substantial contribution to the [[Enlightenment]].
'''Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens''' (June 24, 1704 - January 11, 1771) was a [[France|French]] philosopher and writer who made a substantial contribution to the [[Enlightenment]].
D'Argens' writings are extremely wide-ranging and include works on philosophy, such as ''La Philosophie du Bon-Sens'', along with French literature and drama, aesthetics, psychology and art criticism. He was an enthusiast of music, theater, opera and painting.
D'Argens' writings are extremely wide-ranging and include works on philosophy, such as ''La Philosophie du Bon-Sens'', along with French literature and drama, aesthetics, psychology and art criticism. He was an enthusiast of music, theater, opera and painting.
<ref>Julia Gasper, "The Marquis d'Argens and the Authorship of Therese Philosophe" https://www.academia.edu/5337042/The_Marquis_d_Argens_and_the_Authorship_of_Th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se_Philosophe</ref>
<ref>Julia Gasper, "The Marquis d'Argens and the Authorship of Therese Philosophe" https://www.academia.edu/5337042/The_Marquis_d_Argens_and_the_Authorship_of_Th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se_Philosophe</ref>
==Early Life==
D'Argens was born in [[Aix-en-Provence]], the eldest son of a magistrate who was made a marquis in 1720. He was given an intensive Catholic and classical education at the hands of the Jesuits, but became a skeptic and eventually a Deist. An arch-opponent of the Catholic Church, intolerance and religious oppression, his books were frequently denounced by the [[Inquisition]]. In 1724 he accompanied the French ambassador on a journey to [[Constantinople]], where he lived for a year. After an adventurous youth, he was disinherited by his father. He then settled for a time in [[Amsterdam]], where he wrote his Memoirs and the celebrated ''[[Jewish Letters (novel)|Lettres juives]]'' (The Hague, 6 vols, 1738-1742). It was followed by ''Lettres chinoises'' (The Hague, 6 vols, 1739-1742), and ''Lettres cabalistiques'' (2nd ed., 7 vols, 1769). Next came the ''Mémoires Secrets de la République des Lettres'' (7 vols, 1743-1478), afterwards revised and augmented as ''Histoire de l'esprit humain'' (Berlin, 14 vols, 1765-1768). He also wrote six novels, which are entertaining, witty and delightful.
==Later Career at Prussian Court==
After the success of ''Lettres Juives'' made him famous, d'Argens was invited by [[Frederick the Great]] of Prussia to his court where he spent the greater part of his career. He was appointed a Royal [[Chamberlain (office)|Chamberlain]] and Director of the Belles-Lettres section of the Academy. He married a [[Berlin]] actress, Barbe Cochois and had one daughter. D'Argens returned to France in 1769, and died near [[Toulon]] on the 11th of January 1771, aged 66.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}
After the success of ''Lettres Juives'' made him famous, d'Argens was invited by [[Frederick the Great]] of Prussia to his court where he spent the greater part of his career. He was appointed a Royal [[Chamberlain (office)|Chamberlain]] and Director of the Belles-Lettres section of the Academy. He married a [[Berlin]] actress, Barbe Cochois and had one daughter. D'Argens returned to France in 1769, and died near [[Toulon]] on the 11th of January 1771, aged 66.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}