Полемика о петиметрах и Le Mondain Вольтера

The article discusses the origins of the phenomenon of “petit-maître” and its introduction in eighteenth-century Russia as “petimetr”. It became the subject of polemics in which, among others, Lomonosov and Sumarokov took part. In this connection, a key role was played by Voltaire's work Le Mondain, which became of great significance in French and Russian literature as a “libertine” text, especially with respect to the development of “light” poetry.