Includes bibliographical references (leaves 384-399) / vi, 399 leaves : ill., front port. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of History, 1969

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Almost two centuries have passed since the publication began, in 1777, of the Memoires secrets de Bachaumont. This journal, regarded by many as the mirror of its age, was the outgrowth of a unique and highly successful experiment in group journalism undertaken by the cultured and aristocratic members of an almost-forgotten salon, the paroisse of Madame Doublet. Despite its acknowledged value to students of the Ancien Regime, few studies have been made of this lengthy and complex work. This thesis examines a limited aspect of the Memoires secrets: the literary criticism found in the first five of the thirty-six volumes together with that in the corresponding supplements for the years 1762-1771. The decade thus reviewed ends with the death of Bachaumont, a leading paroissien who first conceived the idea of recording for posterity items chosen from Madame Doublet's registers and from whose manuscript these early volumes of the Memoires are derived. The first two chapters are devoted to a consideration of the background of the journal, situating it within the nouvelliste tradition and dwelling at some length upon the paroisse that gave it birth. The chapters that follow investigate the treatment afforded by the Memoires to Voltaire, Rousseau and Diderot, outline the developments in the theatre during the decade in question and offer a general account of the poetry and miscellaneous prose writings reviewed in the journal together with an inquiry into trends and contemporary attitudes. They provide, then, a general picture of the literary activity of this period as reflected in the Memoires secrets rather than a complete analysis of the many items in these volumes of interest to the student of French literature. The most striking feature of the journal is its wealth of content, evidence of the intellectual ferment of the 1760*s and of the journalistic zeal of the paroissiens. In general, the critical comments are brief, succinct and often elegantly phrased. The reviews of the more controversial writings must frequently be read in the light of their underlying irony, the careful wording being presumably a deliberate attempt to confuse the censorship authorities. The opinions expressed appear to be the result of group discussion, although the extent to which these volumes of the Memoires reflect the personal views of Bachaumont or his successor Mairobert remains uncertain. Ideologically, the tenor of the journal appears to be parlementaire and strongly pro-philosophe. As for literature, the Memoires reveal an awareness of current trends and an acceptance of innovations tempered, however, with a certain conservatism of outlook. Among the writers, Voltaire, understandably, emerges as the dominant figure of the decade. The limited scope of this investigation precludes any firm assessment of the Memoires as a whole. Certainly the abundance and diversity of their contents invite further study. A more adequate index would appear to be a prior necessity for continued investigation of this journal whose pages not only record the advance of the "republique des lettres" but also have preserved for us the picture of a vanished society. / Arts, Faculty of / French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of / Graduate

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I The Origins of A Song to David This chapter deals with the outlook of the poet, his re-dedication to the service of God, his Hymn to the Supreme Being (1756), his madness and confinement, Jubilate Agno, and references to the Psalms and A Song to , David in the Jubilate Agno. II (i) The Form and Structure of the Poem A Song to David is a poem of praise, a paean bringing in the whole of the cosmos. As such it takes its origin from the Psalms of David. Smart prepared himself for the triumph of the Song by writing his Seatonian poems on the attributes of the Supreme Being. The stanzaic pattern of the Song, romance-six, is used by other eighteenth-century poets, but its master is Smart. The basic structural device consists of repetition and the matching of parts of the poem. The description of the contents provided by the poet is not wholly to be trusted. (ii) An Explication of the Poem This section, the longest portion of the thesis, is a line by line commentary on the poem; the intent is to supply background for the reader. The meaning of ambiguous or obscure phrases is suggested; glosses for unfamiliar words are either supplied from the work of previous critics and editors or suggested by the study of biblical and other contemporary texts. The character of David, as drawn by Smart, is not the historical or biblical figure, though it has something in common with the medieval concept of David. Cross-references to Jubilate Agno are noted. The work of W. F. Stead, W. H. Bond, and J. B. Broadbent is correlated with some original study. The climactic nature of the final stanzas is discussed. III (i) Links with Other Poems by Smart The recurrence of similar themes and patterns in other works is pointed out. There is a definite relationship between the Song and Smart's later poems. (ii) Comparison with Some Other Poets Other poets of a similar bent utilize a biblical story in their work. Parallels and contrasts are found in the handling of a similar theme by Cowley, Prior, and Browning. A close resemblance exists between A Song to David and The Benedicite Paraphrased, a poem by James Merrick. (iii) A Song to David is Unique in its Aesthetic Achievement The achievement of A Song to David is defined. The effect upon the reader is discussed and the success of the poet commented upon. A place is claimed for A Song to David in the top rank of devotional poetry. / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate

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This thesis is a biography of Joseph Smith Sr., first patriarch to the Church and father of the illustrious Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. The overall purpose of this treatise is of a four-fold nature. First, it proposes to reveal the kind of personality and character he possessed. Second, it intends to present a near complete and accurate account of his deeds and experiences. Third, it hopes to relate him to the historical period in which he lived. And fourth, by fulfilling the three purposes named, it will attempt to evaluate the assertions that have been frequently made that the Prophet Joseph came from an ignorant, shiftless, and unworthy family. All of this can be done only to a limited extent, because of the small amount that has been written about Joseph Smith, Sr. In organizing the research of this thesis I have attempted to accomplish my desired purposes by giving an overall evaluation of Father Smith's life from both favorable and unfavorable sources; this is followed with the formative influences that helped to shape his personality and character; then is given the part he and his family played in the restoration of the true Gospel and the service he rendered as a member of the true church; added to this are the trials and tribulations he witnessed and suffered for the faith he had in the divine mission of his son; circumstances of his death and contributions he made conclude the treatise. With this information, it is hoped that in judging Joseph Smith Sr., one may more fully take into account these influences that surrounded him and place oneself in a position to look at things from his point of view and thereby form at least a partially correct estimate of his character.

Jean-Baptiste Boyer d'Argens, a dissident and libertine writer, has played an important role by spreading Enlightenment ideas to Frederic II of Prussia. He began to write in the 1730s, a particularly productive and innovative period. His work is a testimony of the profound transformation of the novel toward the modern approach. By blending different formal genres (novel and memoirs), he made use of an hybrid genre in which moral truth is greater than historical accuracy. His entire repertoire converges toward a principal theme, the emancipation of man. This notion of freedom not only implies to the freedom of thought, conduct and writing form, it is the foundation of Boyer d'Argens' life and poetics. This author, not too conservative, not too eccentric, is a good representation of the common trend of thinking of the Enlightenment.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.