history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第32章
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And； on these terms； Voltaire gets out of the business； glad to close the intolerable rumor； at some cost of money。 For all tongues were wagging； and； in defect of a TIMES Newspaper； it appears； there had Pamphlets come out； printed Satires； bound or in broadside；sapid； exhilarative； for a season； and interesting to the idle mind。 Of which； TANTALE EN PROCES may still； for the sake of that PREFACE to it； be considered to have an obscure existence。 And such； reduced to its authenticities； was the Adventure of the Steuer…Notes。 A very bad Adventure indeed； unspeakably the worst that Voltaire ever tried； who had such talent in the finance line。 On which poor History is really ashamed to have spent so much time； sorting it into clearness； in the disgust and sorrow of her soul。 But perhaps it needed to be done。 Let us hope； at least； it may not now need to be done again。 ＇Besides the KLEIN； the TANTALE EN PROCES and the Voltaire LETTERS cited above； there is （in OEuvres de Voltaire； lxiv。 pp。 61…106； as SUPPLEMENT there）； written off…hand； in the very thick of the Hirsch Affair； a considerable set of NOTES TO D'ARGET； which might have been still more elucidative； but are； in their present dateless topsy…turvied condition； a very wonder of confusion to the studious reader！＇
This is the FIRST ACT of Voltaire's Tragic…Farce at the Court of Berlin： readers may conceive to what a bleared frost…bitten condition it has reduced the first Favonian efflorescence there。 He considerably recovered in the SECOND ACT； such the indelible charm of the Voltaire genius to Friedrich。 But it is well known； the First Act rules all the others； and here； accordingly； the Third Act failed not to prove tragical。 Out of First Act into Second the following EXTRACTS OF CORRESPONDENCE will guide the reader； without commentary of ours。
Voltaire； left languishing at Berlin； has fallen sick； now that all is over；no doubt； in part really sick； the unfortunate Phoenix… Peafowl； with such a tremor in his bones；and would fain be near Friedrich and warmth again； fain persuade the outside world that all is sunshine with him。 Voltaire's Letters to Friedrich； if he wrote any； in this Jew time； are lost； here are Friedrich's Answers to Two；one lost； which had been written from Berlin AFTER the Jew affair was out of Court； and to another （not lost） after the Jew affair was done。
1。 KING FRIEDRICH TO VOLTAIRE AT BERLIN。
〃POTSDAM； 24th February； 1751。 〃I was glad to receive you in my house； I esteemed your genius； your talents and acquirements； and I had reason to think that a man of your age； wearied with fencing against Authors； and exposing himself to the storm； came hither to take refuge as in a safe harbor。
〃But； on arriving； you exacted of me； in a rather singular manner； Not to take Freron to write me news from Paris； and I had the weakness； or the complaisance； to grant you this； though it is not for you to decide what persons I shall take into my service。 D'Arnaud had faults towards you； a generous man would have pardoned them； a vindictive man hunts down those whom he takes to hating。 In a word； though to me D'Arnaud had done nothing； it was on your account that he had to go。 You were with the Russian Minister； speaking of things you had no concern with ＇Russian Excellency Gross； off home lately； in sudden dudgeon； like an angry sky…rocket； nobody can guess why！ ＇Adelung； vii。 133 （about 1st December； 1750）。＇and it was thought I had given you Commission。〃 〃You have had the most villanous affair in the world with a Jew。 It has made a frightful scandal all over Town。 And that Steuer… Schein business is so well known in Saxony； that they have made grievous complaints of it to me。
〃For my own share； I have preserved peace in my house till your arrival： and I warn you； that if you have the passion of intriguing and caballing； you have applied to the wrong hand。 I like peaceable composed people； who do not put into their conduct the violent passions of Tragedy。 In case you can resolve to live like a Philosopher； I shall be glad to see you； but if you abandon yourself to all the violences of your passions； and get into quarrels with all the world； you will do me no good by coming hither； and you may as well stay in Berlin。〃 ＇Preuss； xxii。 262 （WANTING in the French Editions）。＇F。
To which Voltaire sighing pathetically in response； 〃Wrong； ah yes； your Majesty；and sick to death〃 （see farther down）；here is Friedrich's Second in Answer：
2。 FRIEDRICH TO VOLTAIRE AGAIN。
〃POTSDAM； 28th February； 1751。 〃If you wish to come hither； you can do so。 I hear nothing of Lawsuits； not even of yours。 Since you have gained it； I congratulate you； and I am glad that this scurvy affair is done。 I hope you will have no more quarrels； neither with the OLD nor with the New TESTAMENT。 Such worryings （CES SORTES DE COMPROMIS） leave their mark on a man； and with the talents of the finest genius in France； you will not cover the stains which this conduct would fasten on your reputation in the long…run。 A Bookseller Gosse ＇read JORE； your Majesty？ Nobody ever heard of Gosse as an extant quantity： Jore； of Rouen； you mean； and his celebrated Lawsuit； about printing the HENRIADE； or I know not what； long since ＇Unbounded details on the Jore Case； and from 1731 to 1738 continual LETTERS on it； in OEuvres de Voltaire； came to a head in 1736 （ib。 lxix。 375）； Jore penitent； 1738 （ib。 i。 262）； &c。 &c。＇； a Bookseller Jore； an Opera Fiddler ＇poor Travenol； wrong dog pincered by the ear＇； and a Jeweller Jew； these are； of a surety； names which in no sort of business ought to appear by the side of yours。 I write this Letter with the rough common…sense of a German； who speaks what he thinks； without employing equivocal terms； and loose assuagements which disfigure the truth： it is for you to profit by it。F。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 265。＇
So that Voltaire will have to languish： 〃Wrong； yes；and sick； nigh dead； your Majesty！ Ah； could not one get to some Country Lodge near you； 'the MARQUISAT' for instance？ Live silent there； and see your face sometimes？〃 ＇In OEuvres de Frederic （xxii。 259…261； 263…266） are Four lamenting and repenting； wheedling and ultimately whining； LETTERS from Voltaire； none of them dated； which have much about 〃my dreadful state of health；〃 my passion〃 for reposing in that MARQUISAT；〃 &c。；to one of which Four； or perhaps to the whole together； the above No。 2 of Friedrich seems to have been Answer。 Of that indisputable 〃MARQUISAT〃 no Nicolai says a word； even careful Preuss passes 〃Gosse〃 and it with shut lips。＇ Languishing very much；gives cosy little dinners； however。 Here are two other Excerpts； and these will suffice：
VOLTAIRE TO FORMEY （〃BERLIN PALACE；〃 DATABLE； FIRST DAYS OF MARCH）： 〃Will you； Monsieur； come and eat the King's roast meat （ROT DU ROI）； to…day； Thursday； at two o'clock； in a philosophic； warm and comfortable manner （PHILOSOPHIQUEMENT ET CHAUDEMENT ET DOUCEMENT）。 A couple of philosophers； without being courtiers； may dine in the Palace of a Philosopher…King： I should even take the liberty of sending one of his Majesty's Carriages for you；…at two precise。 After dinner； you would be at hand for your Academy meeting。〃 ＇Formey； i。 234。＇V。 How cosy！And King Friedrich has relented； too； grants me the Marquisat； can refuse me nothing！
VOLTAIRE TO D'ARGENTAL （POTSDAM； 15th MARCH 1751）。 。。。 〃I could not accompany our Chamberlain ＇Von Ammon； gone as Envoy to Paris； on a small matter ＇〃Commercial Treaty；〃 which he got done。 See LONGCHAMP； if any one is curious otherwise about this Gentleman： 〃D'Hamon〃 they call him； and sometimes 〃DAMON〃；to whom Niece Denis wanted to be Phyllis； according to Longchamp。＇＇； through the muds and the snows；where I should have been buried； I was ill；〃 and had to go to the MARQUISAT。 〃D'Arnaud and the pack of Scribblers would have been too glad。 D'Arnaud； animated with the true love of glory； and not yet grown sufficiently illustrious by his own immortal Works； has done ONE of that kind；〃by his behavior here。 Has behaved to meoh； like a m
