Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We rarely see these three means combined; and for this reason, creative geniuses are not common.

Diderot who had been under police surveillance since 1747 was swiftly identified as the author. Denis Diderot (French: [dəni didʁo]) (October 5 1713 – July 31 1784) was a French philosopher art critic and writer. The decree did not stop the work which went on but its difficulties increased by the necessity of being clandestine.

He was a prominent person during the Enlightenment and is best known for serving as co-founder chief editor of and contributor to the Encyclopédie along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. Denis Diderot (French: [dəni didʁo]) (October 5 1713 – July 31 1784) was a French philosopher art critic and writer.