  The influence of Du Bos on aesthetics in France began with his impact on Voltaire (Williams 1966). He described Du Bos as “a very wise, very learned, and very esteemed man” and, according to Voltaire, “All artists read with profit his Reflections on poetry, painting, and music” (Voltaire 1877–85, vol. 3, 10; vol. 14, 66). Du Bos’s influence is found at a number of points in Voltaire’s writings. He adopts Du Bos’s subjectivism, writing that, “In order to judge poets, it is necessary to know how to feel” (Voltaire 1877–85, vol. 8, 319). Voltaire agreed with Du Bos that there have been four ages where the arts particularly flourished and he agreed with Du Bos’s assessment of which ages they have been. Voltaire also adopted one of Du Bos’s controversial views: the belief that national character is affected by matters such as climate.