Paul-Claude Moultou

This chapter highlights Jean-Jacques Rousseau's letter to Paul-Claude Moultou on January 29, 1760. In this letter, Rousseau talks about reading an extract of Moultou's sermon on luxury. He acknowledges that Moultou was the first person “who has shown that the feigned charity of the rich person is, in him, only an additional luxury; he feeds the poor like dogs and horses.” Rousseau then contends that in showing the incompatibility of luxury and equality, Moultou may have done the opposite of what he wanted to do. He argues that “the partisans of luxury are all enemies of equality,” before mentioning his dislike of Voltaire.