Frederick the Great, whose literary taste was wholly in the vein of the conventional French classic, was never much interested by Diderot's writing, and felt little curiosity about him.

Catherine of Russia was sufficiently an admirer of the Encyclopaedia to be willing to serve its much-enduring builder.

In 1765, when the enterprise was in full course, Diderot was moved by a provident anxiety about the future of his daughter.

He had no dower for her in case a suitor should present himself, and he had but a scanty substance to leave her in case of his own death.

The income of the property which he inherited from his father was regularly handed to his wife for the maintenance of the household.