Cordemoy, unusually, concluded his with twenty or so pages on public spaces in cities. Though Jean-Baptiste Colbert, famously, was concerned with “embellissement” and the ordering of cities, the spur might have been Fénelon’s, in particular his account of the rebuilding of the state of Salenta in that most political of his writings, Les Aventures de Télémaque, of 1699. Fénelon, again and again, in his writings, promoted architecture of the practical and simple kind, and on two occasions, even, as a proof of the existence of god.
Cordemoy, surprisingly, concluded his work with a section on public spaces in cities. Although Jean-Baptiste Colbert was known for his focus on "embellissement" and city planning, the inspiration might have come from Fénelon's account of rebuilding the state of Salenta in his 1699 novel Les Aventures de Télémaque. Fénelon repeatedly advocated for practical and simple architecture in his writings, even using it as evidence for God's existence on two occasions.