Regrets sur ma vieille robe de chambre / Ou, avis à ceux qui ont plus de goût que de fortune

Name: Regrets sur ma vieille robe de chambre / Ou, avis à ceux qui ont plus de goût que de fortune
Author: Denis Diderot

By Denis Diderot

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About This Book

A first-person lament about abandoning a familiar, modest dressing gown for a sumptuous replacement and the cascading changes luxury brings to a living space and to taste. The narrator catalogues how humble furniture, prints and household objects are displaced by gilded, fashionable pieces, and reflects on how outward refinement can disrupt domestic harmony, obscure personal identity, and risk moral corruption. The essay combines comic self-reproach with social observation and warns readers to beware a pursuit of elegance that undermines inner freedom and communal cohesion.

About the Author

Denis Diderot

Denis Diderot (1713-1784) was a prominent French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for his role as co-founder and chief editor of the "Encyclopédie," a monumental work that aimed to compile and disseminate knowledge across various fields. His literary contributions include notable works such as "Jacques le fataliste et son maître," which explores themes of free will and determinism through a unique narrative style. Diderot's writings often challenged the conventions of his time, blending philosophy with fiction and advocating for Enlightenment ideals. His influence extends beyond literature into the realms of philosophy and art, marking him as a key figure in the intellectual landscape of the 18th century.