Les planches de musique de l'Encyclopédie : un manuscrit méconnu de Rousseau et ses enjeux ethnographiques

The British Library has a holograph manuscript by Rousseau which seems to have hitherto escaped the attention of specialists ; it consists of three folios in Italian format (21.5 x 42 cm) containing musical examples for Diderot and D'Alembert's Encyclopédie. This article, after describing the manuscripts' physical characteristics and layout, concentrates on ADD. MSS 69627, f° 22, which contains old and non-European musical examples. We identify Rousseau's sources (learned works and accounts by missionaries and travellers) and we discuss the possible reasons for his interest in these materials.