Resumen de L'astronome Lexell et les athées parisiens (1780-1781)
From Paris, Lexell wrote to J. A. Euler a series of letters concerned mainly with the Académie des Sciences and literary circles. Here we are concerned with the accounts of his meetings with Lalande, Diderot and d'Holbach. Lexell was shocked by Lalande's atheism, reminding him that Diderot was «brought down » on this subject by Æpinus in Petersburgh. This reference throws light on an obscure incident concerning Diderot's «demonstration » of the possibility of explaining planetary movement without, like Newton, supposing an initial impulse from the Creator. This reasoning, which he had proposed to several mathematicians (iCpinus, the Eulers, J. F. Hennert), should be linked to a paper by J. J. de Marguerite (1773). After having described his hostility to the Parisians' irreligion, Lexell, who was welcomed by Diderot and his friends, gives a favourable account of a conversation with the Philosopher (concerning Falconet's monument) ; he also shows sympathy for d'Holbach and admiration for the Histoire des deux Indes.
