Il web della cultura nel Settecento Europeo The cultural web in the European Eighteenth century

Abstract

The research intends to prove that a well recognized cultural web was operating in the European society of Eighteenth century. It was made of local learned people, whose purpose was the exchange of news, documents, books, finds and the connection of human relations as well. Such a web, connected authors, editors, booksellers, researchers and readers: it was one and only large mesh acting as a solid logistic and cultural support in spreading literary and scientific Eurostudium3w luglio-settembre 2016 4 M.A. Del Boccio Prosperi, Il web products. Furthermore, thanks to the mesh, the issue itself of such products was promoted by the circulation of notions, experiences, ideas. Participants to such community had different skills and a common goal: to participate the web and put learning and tools at its disposal, to overcome the scarcity of the communication media, of the transport and of money and produce benefits for the human community. Pierre-Jean Grosley was a modest officer in a small town; thanks to his wide knowledge, he climbed every European academy and was in touch with the major minds of his age. By the study of his correspondence, kept up from 1740 until 1785, a very typical kind of enlightened persons who was acting as local hubs of the net is revealed; the existence of the net is proved, the evidence about its working method and efficiency is given; the member’s different quality and social status is cleared. And, finally, the convergence of all over Europe’s minds on some current topics of Enlightenment age and the rapid spread from high academicians until the middle class society is explained.