Full Idea
Times in which letters and arts are known to have flourished have been admired too much.
Gist of Idea
The flourishing of arts and letters is too much admired
Source
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], III.09 n9)
Book Reference
Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.191
A Reaction
I assume most marxists would agree with this thought. Eighteenth century France is a good candidate for this judgement. The arts always needed patronage.