It provided the optimists with new arguments against Rousseau, and must have done much to spread and confirm faith in perfectibility.

[Footnote: Soon after the publication of the book of Chastellux--though I do not suggest any direct connection--a society of Illuminati, who also called themselves the Perfectibilists, was founded at Ingoldstadt, who proposed to effect a pacific transformation of humanity.

See Javary, De l'idee de progres, p.

73.].