Mr.Carlyle told us long ago that it must be translated into English, and although such a piece of work is less simple than it may seem, it appears right to give the reader an opportunity of judging for himself of the flavour of the most characteristic of all Diderot's performances.

Only let no reader turn to it who has any invincible repugnance to that curious turn for _wildbret_, which Goethe has described as the secret of some arts.
Dixeris haec inter varicosos centuriones, Continuo crassum ridet Pulfenius ingens Et centum Graecos curto centusse licebit.
As I have already said, it must be judged as something more than a literary diversion.

"You do not suspect, Sir Philosopher," says Rameau, "that at this moment I represent the most important part of the town and the court." As the painter of the picture says, Rameau confessed the vices that he had, and that most of the people about us have; but he was no hypocrite.

He was neither more nor less abominable than they; he was only more frank and systematic and profound in his depravity.

This is the social significance of the dialogue.