Prosper ENFANTIN (1796-1864) leader of the Saint-Simonian... Lot 114

Prosper ENFANTIN (1796-1864) leader of the Saint-Simonian school. L.A.S., Paris November 6, 1847, to a lady; 4 pages in-8 on the letterhead of the Société d'Études du Canal de Suez. Beautiful philosophical letter. "You tell me that everything is perfected by struggle [...] It is very true that suffering and unhappiness are opportunities for perfection in the sense that one realizes that one is all the more suffering and unhappy the more one has struggled against the laws of nature, or better still against God's will, against hygiene and against morality. It is truly curious to attribute the progress of humanity to incessant struggle, when this progress is obviously manifested by a decrease in the occasions and motives for this struggle; when men associate more and more with nature; when cities and nations associate more and more with each other [...] It seems to me, on the contrary, that humanity has proved time and again its very pronounced preference for peace over war, for love over hatred, for baptism over burial. [...] Struggle is only the consequence and expression of a feeling of love that inspires and dominates it; and it is also this feeling that is the perfecter, but it is not struggle. The latter destroys evil, it's true, but when it's inspired by the love of good. Amen"...