Denis Diderot

This chapter looks at Jean-Jacques Rousseau's letter to Denis Diderot on March 2, 1758. This is the last letter that Rousseau ever wrote to Diderot, who did not reply to it. One week later, Rousseau finished writing the Letter to d'Alembert , to which he added a note announcing his definitive rupture with his old friend. In this letter, he says that Diderot has an unfortunate inclination to misinterpret his friends' speeches and actions. As such, Rousseau decides not to explain himself anymore, claiming that Diderot's prejudice against him “would turn into evil everything that I could say to justify myself, and my most ingenuous explanations would do nothing but provide your subtle mind with new interpretations at my expense.” He then asks Diderot what made him believe that Rousseau is a wicked man before urging Diderot to have some self-reflection.