The eclectic nature of restoration libertinism

Restoratton comedy, os Thomas Rglmtitti has argued, reflecta the irttellectual trends thot inftuenced Ihe mind of the upper ctoss by reaiisticaliy portroyw>g their life and conduct (1) Primarity, the gentIHty was infiueneed by the French phitoeopftioai libertines like Salnt-Evremond, Fontehelte and Ga »sendi, whö were, rather than moral degenerates, sceptlcs in the name of experiehoe, reason and free. thought, Heveever. during the flestoration. libertinism beoome to be eynonymous with Neo-epicureanism. İt was aiso atfected by classiool naturallşm and Ronaissanoe seeptteism. These phifosoph-loal ottitudes. however, have been sö interminöled and so much blurred İn the oharocter of tire Restoration rake thot it Is novv atanost bnposeible to differontbte therr». Yet the characteristics of each attitude wUt' be pointed out in order to Ckrrtfy the various systems of thought that contrtbuted to the emergence of the Res-tordtion Hbertine and conSequ©ntly affectsed his way of life.