Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau Book 10, 1760 Summary

  • Why is the letter to M. de Silhouette so foolish? Mme de Luxembourg was one of the people who got rid of M. de Silhouette.
  • Rousseau accidentally shows Mme de Luxembourg the letter of support he wrote. Bad mistake, Rousseau.
  • In turn, Rousseau writes a letter to Mme de Luxembourg to apologize. He apologizes in a very backhanded way, of course.
  • Remember Rousseau's ex-friend, Diderot? He rashly writes a pamphlet that offends M. de Luxembourg's daughter. Diderot gets thrown in the Bastille as a result—ouch.
  • Rousseau kindly intercedes for Diderot to get him freed, since he has friends in high places.
  • Rousseau is greatly honored by a visit from a prince. That'd be the Prince de Conti. But then Rousseau nearly offends the prince by beating him at chess.
  • The prince has probably forgotten the incident. Well, until Rousseau dredges it up for The Confessions, that is.