A quick google of "Quesnay European Confucius" will quickly  
turn up numerous sources on this.  He studied Confucius and  
advocated Confucianism specifically during his day, very  
much approving of its deemphasis on theism and a greater  
emphasis on rationality as a supporter for authority within  
the Enlightenment context.  BTW, apparently Goethe was  
called the "Confucius of Weimar."  
  
Barkley Rosser