(a) Chapters I.—VI. and VIII. It is here purely internal, e.g.:—
| 35 (1784) | cf. | 37 (1764). | "tel s'imagine,"&c. |
| 40 " | cf. | 42, " | Corruption in England. |
| 42, 45 " | cf. | 43, 47, " | Omission of "les circonstances présentes" and "sous le présent règne," pointing to date later than 1751. |
| 49 " | cf. | 52, " | Venice: "elle est revenue de ses erreurs." |
| 63 " | cf. | 69, " | "The House of Nassau," pointing to date as early as 1748. |
| 64 " | cf. | 70, " | Change of tone regarding Switzerland. |
| 90 " | cf. | 104, " | "Le roi de Prusse." |
| 101-116 " | Addition of two chapters on Paraguay and China. | ||
| 153 " | Appearance of proposal to sell Crown lands. | ||
| 161 " | cf. | 173, (1764): | "gemissants sans faire aucuns efforts." |
| 164 " | cf. | 176, " | Amplification of remarks on Councils. |
| 168 " | cf. | 182, " | Fleury's ministry. |
| 173 " | cf. | 188, " | "Les souverains commencent." |
(1784) 265 note, "More than thirty years."
Sometimes the strongest evidence consists in slight touches of expression, e.g.:—
| 93 (1784) | cf. | 107 (1764): | "les vertus sociales" for "des manières polies." |
| 104 (1784) | "l'Être Suprème, auteur du Droit Naturel." | ||
| 163 (1784) | cf. | 175 (1764): | "en morale et en philosophie" for "en morale et en politesse." |
| 172 " | cf. | 187 " | "on se pique de générosité." |
This evidence proves conclusively that a considerable period must have elapsed between the composition of the texts, a period extending beyond the close of d'Argenson's ministry. The revised version can scarcely be earlier than 1748 and scarcely later than 1752. It is separated from the original by ten to fifteen years.
(b) Chapters VII., IX., and Conclusion. These chapters are immeasurably in advance of the rest of the work, and represent a complete revolution of ideas. We know, on the witness of his invaluable Journal, that about the year 1753 such a revolution took place in d'Argenson's mind; and that any time between 1753 and his death in 1757 such ideas were possible and natural to him [see this essay, Chapter V.]. This portion of the work may be placed approximately about the year 1755.