What are the motifs in Classicism by ?

France serves as a thematic setting in the book. Historians have recognized the movement in France in the 1600s for its diversity in classical values. The French classicists wrote with an emphasis on reason and intellect. French intellectual Rene Descartes, for example, tended to shy away from authority as the ultimate source of truth. He put a great deal of emphasis instead on the process of reasoning from a priori knowledge, i.e., knowledge based on hypothesis or theory rather than experiment or experience. The French dramas of Racine and others strongly influenced the English Neoclassical period. In addition to drama, the French were also noted for their use of satire. Voltaire's Candide (1759) has been identified as one of the best examples of satire. It systematically takes jabs at those in positions of power and privilege. This form of satire has also been identified as being part of a trend towards secularism and criticism of the church.