A Romantic Historiosophy: Philosophy of History of Pierre-Simon Ballanche

482 Pages·1998·25.751 MB·English

by  Arthur McCalla

BRILL'S STUDIES
IN
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
General Editor
A.J. VANDERJAGT, University of Groningen
Editorial Board
M. COLISH, Oberlin College
J.I. ISRAEL, University College, London
J.D. NORTH, University of Groningen
H.A. OBERMAN, University of Arizona, Tucson
R.H. POPKIN, Washington University, St. Louis-UCLA
VOLUME 82
A ROMANTIC
HISTORIOSOPHY
The Philosophy of History of Pierre-Simon Ballanche
BY
ARTHUR McCALLA
'68*'
BRILL
LEIDEN · BOSTON · KÖLN
1998
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McCalla, Arthur.
A romantic historiography : the philosophy of history of Pierre
-Simon Ballanche / by Arthur McCalla.
p. cm. — (Brill's studies in intellectual history ; v. 82)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 9004109676 (alk paper)
1. History—Philosophy. 2. Ballanche, Pierre Simon, 1776-1847.
I. Tide. II. Series.
D16.8.M385 1998
901—dc21 97-49398
CEP
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufhahme
McCalla, Arthur:
A romantic historiosophy : the philosophy of history of Pierre-Simon
Ballanche / by Arthur McCalla. - Leiden ; Boston : Köln : Brill,
1998
(Brill's studies in intellectual history ; Vol. 82)
ISBN -Ό04-1 0967-6
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN 90 04 10967 6
© Copyright 1998 by Koninklijke Bull Ν V., Leiden, The Netherlands
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written
permission fiom the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal
use is granted by Brill provided that
the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright
Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910
Danvers MA 01923, USA.
Fees are subject to change.
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
ThL· book L· dedicated to my parents,
DennL· and Kathleen McCalla

CONTENTS
Acknowledgements xi
List of Abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
PART ONE
REVOLUTION AND THE LYON WORKS
Chapter One: The Lyon Terror and the Epopee Lyonnaùe 9
The Lyon Terror 10
Epopée Lyonnaue 17
Chapter Two: From Du Sentiment to Adieux a Rome 22
Expiation and progress 33
Revolution 41
Chapter Three: Antigone 44
Expiation 47
Revolution and Restoration 57
PART TWO
RESTORATION AND SOCIAL THOUGHT
Chapter Four: The 1818-1820 Works 65
Ballanche and the Récamier salon 65
The 1818-1820 works 73
Chapter Five: The Nature of Society 80
Basic assumptions about the nature of society 80
The law of religious equality 86
Legitimism 90
viii CONTENTS
Chapter Six: The Contemporary Age of Crisis 96
Revolution 98
Restoration 103
Chapter Seven: Ballanche and Restoration Political Life 114
Reception of 1818-1820 works 114
Ballanche and Restoration historiography 119
PART THREE
SOCIAL PALINGENESIS
Chapter Eight: Essais de Palingenesie sociale 135
The plan of Palingénésie sociale 137
Chapter Nine: Palingenesis 150
Palingénésie philosophique 150
Natural history and the history of humanity 159
Palingénésie sociale 164
Chapter Ten: Social Evolution 173
The three ages of humanity 173
The struggle of the two principles 184
Ballanche and Vico 191
Chapter Eleven: Illuminism 206
The Western Esoteric Tradition 206
Ballanche and Illuminism 216
Illuminist themes in Palingénésie sociale 225
Identity of the Fall and rehabilitation 226
Initiation 231
Magnetism 244
Chapter Twelve: Historiography & Mythography 250
Myth, epic, history 250
The historiographical Revolution 258
Ballanche among the mythographers 268
Chapter Thirteen: Historiosophy 289
Illuminism and history 289
Historiosophy 302
Anterior Christianity 309