Jacques-Louis Ménétra, Journal of My Life (1764–1802)

Even if the philosophes directed their message to the educated elite, Journal of My Life by Jacques-Louis Ménétra (b. 1738) suggests that at least some people from the lower classes heard it too. Born in Paris, Ménétra learned to read and write in local parish schools. Following his father’s example, he became a master glazier. He began his journal in 1764 and organized it principally around his recollections of his journeyman’s “tour de France” from 1757 to 1764. He eventually returned to Paris where he set up his own business. Coincidentally, while completing a job at a local boardinghouse in 1770, he and Rousseau crossed paths and they struck up a casual friendship. The excerpt that follows dates from years before their encounter but it provides insight into why the two men got along so well. It reveals not only Ménétra’s quick wit and sense of adventure but also his affinity for the intellectual spirit of criticism that characterized the Enlightenment. Alongside the tales of his amusements, he commented on many of the fundamental issues of the day, including the question of religious tolerance. The document is printed as originally written, without punctuation.

From Jacques-Louis Ménétra, Journal of My Life, intro. Daniel Roche, trans. Arthur Goldhammer (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986), 129–30.

I went to Paris to see Denongrais Madame la Police had been interfering with business she made up her mind to sell her property and to retire with her cuckold of a husband to her native village for she’d put by quite a bit in the course of her work I was all for it She said to me I see clearly from what you’ve just said that you never loved me She was right for never had a woman touched my heart except for sensual pleasure and nothing else I promised her to come say my farewells and they’ve yet to be said

Since it was the good season we went to Champigny and went with some friends of mine to what are called guinguettes [open-air cafés with music and dancing—Trans.] Sundays and holidays we went to dance in front of the castle and other days usually with the people from the guinguette we played tennis or went visiting the local festivals One holiday in a village one league from Montigny people were playing tennis on the square when Du Tillet showed up accompanied by the lord the magistrate or sheriff and the priest I heard somebody say That’s the Parisian over there I wondered what this was all about It’s because they know you’re good at tennis said my friend they’re going to propose a match In fact six young men came and politely gave each of us a racket My friend said no since he didn’t know how to play but he said But as for my friend he’ll give you a good show I declined They insisted the lord the sheriff and the priest joined in I played applause hands were heard to clap They took us to the castle (and) gave us refreshment

I was greatly applauded I promised again that the fellows from Montigny and I would be waiting for them next Sunday People came from all around I was all over the court and we had a good time we won and whatever else they were well entertained My friend went all out because M Trudaine had wanted to see me play and when I passed in front of him he and the people around him said to me Courage So I answered that that was one thing I wasn’t lacking

One day I followed the game warden Since I had no rifle I let him run all over the fields and went to a village where I had seen the curate pay his respects to M Trudaine who recognized me and said I was pretty nimble at tennis and took me to his presbytery for a drink

After some idle talk we finally got onto the subject of religion We talked about the mysteries of the sacraments. . . . I spoke passionately about the sufferings that had been inflicted on men who worshiped the same God except for a few matters of opinion And (I said that) the Roman religion should be tolerant if it followed the maxims of its lawgiver that because of its mysteries it was absurd and that all mysteries were in my opinion nothing but lies And that so long as they sold indulgences and gave remission for sins in exchange for money fear of hell which was like purgatory just an invention of the first impostors that Jesus had never spoken of purgatory And that all those sacraments were nothing but pure inventions to make money and impress the vulgar And that he himself who was a very intelligent man was not capable of making his God chewing him and then swallowing him That we mistreated those peoples who did not share our belief (and who) according to the Church should have been damned because all the priests went around saying Outside the Church there is no salvation And that we accused those who worship idols of being idolators when we prostrate ourselves before statues We even worship a piece of dough which we eat in the firm belief that it is God And those idolators only worship all those things to keep from being hurt by them and other things in the hope of getting some good out of them while we on the other hand we were real man-eaters After praying to him and worshipping him in order to satisfy him we’ve got to eat him too

He answered me with objections as many others had answered me His one and only response was to say to me All these mysteries must be believed because the Church believes them he said to me My friend you are enlightened It is necessary that for the sake of government nations live always in ignorance and credulity I answered him So be it

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