Vincent de Gournay (1712–1759) expounded laissez faire, laissez passer ideas in France, notably against the guilds system. He greatly influenced major figures such as Turgot. Although he was a prolific author according to those who knew him personally, he published almost nothing, and, tragically, died early, at the age of 47. On the freedom of work, historians must draw from his administrative correspondence and occasionally from short memorials, two of which are now rendered into English and published in Econ Journal Watch.