history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第41章
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Friedrich writes to Voltaire：
〃I have just been brought to bed of Six Twins； which require to be baptized； in the name of Apollo； in the waters of Hippocrene。 LA HENRIADE is requested to become godmother： you will have the goodness to bring her； this evening at five； to the Father's Apartment。 D'Arget LUCINA will be there； and the Imagination of MAN…A…MACHINE will hold the poor infants over the Font。〃 ＇Ib。 266。＇
DEIGN TO SAY IF I HAVE OFFENDED。 。。。 〃As they write to me from Paris that I am in disgrace with you； I dare to beg very earnestly that you will deign to say if I have displeased in anything！ May go wrong by ignorance or from over…zeal； but with my heart never！ I live in the profoundest retreat； giving to study my whole〃 〃Your assurances once vouchsafed ＇famous Document of August 23d＇。 I write only to my Niece。 I〃 （a page more of this）have my sorrows and merits； and absolutely no silence at all！ ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 289。＇ 〃In the gift of Speech he is the most brilliant of mankind；〃 said Smelfungus； but in the gift of Silence what a deficiency！ Friedrich will have to do that for Two； it would seem。
BERLIN； 28th DECEMBER； 1751： LOUIS QUATORZE； AND DEATH OF ROTHENBURG。〃Our LOUIS QUATORZE is out。 But； Heavens； see； your Majesty： a Pirate Printer； at Frankfurt…on…Oder； has been going on parallel with us； all the while； and here is his foul blotch of an Edition on sale； too！ Bielfeld；〃 fantastic fellow； 〃had proof… sheets； Bielfeld sent them to a Professor there； though I don't blame Bielfeld： result too evident。 Protect me； your Majesty； Order all wagons； especially wagons for Leipzig； to be stopped； to be searched； and the Books thrown out；it costs you but a word！〃
Quite a simple thing： 〃All Prussia to the rescue！〃 thinks an ardent Proprietor of these Proof…sheets。 But then； next day； hears that Rothenburg is dead。 That the silent Rothenburg lay dying； while the vocal Voltaire was writing these fooleries； to a King sunk in grief。 〃Repent； be sorry； be ashamed！〃 he says to himself； and does instantly try；but with little success； Frankfurt…on…Oder； with its Bielfeld proof…sheets； still jangling along； contemptibly audible； for some time。 ＇Ib。 285…287。＇ And afterwards； from Frankfurt…on…Mayn new sorrow rises on LOUIS QUATORZE； as will be seen。Friedrich's grief for Rothenburg was deep and severe； 〃he had visited him that last night；〃 say the Books； 〃and quitted his bedside； silent； and all in tears。〃 It is mainly what of Biography the silent Rothenburg now has。
From the current Narratives； as they are called； readers will recollect； out of this Voltaire Period； two small particles of Event amid such an ocean of noisy froth；two and hardly more： that of the 〃Orange…Skin；〃 and that of the 〃Dirty Linen。〃 Let us put these two on their basis； and pass on：
THE ORANGE…SKIN （Potsdam； 2d September； 1751； to Niece Denis）Good Heavens； MON ENFANT； what is this I hear （through the great Dionysius'…Ear I maintain； at such expense to myself）！ 。。。 〃La Mettrie； a man of no consequence； who talks familiarly with the King after their reading； and with me too； now and then： La Mettrie swore to me； that； speaking to the King； one of those days； of my supposed favor； and the bit of jealousy it excites； the King answered him： 〃I shall want him still about a year：you squeeze the orange； you throw away the skin （ON EN JETTE LECORCE）！'〃 Here is a pretty bit of babble （lie； most likely； and bit of mischievous fun） from Dr。 Joyous。 〃It cannot be true； No！ And yet and yet？〃 Words cannot express the agonizing doubts； the questionings； occasionally the horror of Voltaire： poor sick soul； keeping a Dionysius'…Ear to boot！ This blurt of La Mettrie's goes through him like a shot of electricity through an elderly sick Household…Cat； and he speaks of it again and ever again；though we will not farther。
DIRTY LINEN （Potsdam； 24th July； 1752； To Niece Denis）。 。。。 〃Maupertuis has discreetly set the rumor going； that I found the King's Works very bad； that I said to some one； on Verses from the King coming in； 'Will he never tire； then； of sending me his dirty linen to wash？' You obliging Maupertuis！〃
Rumor says； it was General Mannstein； once Aide…de…Camp in Russia； who had come to have his WORK ON RUSSIA revised （excellent Work； often quoted by us ＇Did get out at last；in England； through Lord Marischal and David Hume： see PREFACE to it （London； 1760）。＇）； when the unfortunate Royal Verses came。 Perhaps M。 de Voltaire did say it：why not； had it only been prudent？ He really likes those Verses much more than I； but knows well enough； SUB ROSA； what kind of Verses they are。 This also is a horrible suspicion； that the King should hear of this；as doubtless the King did； though without going delirious upon it at all。 ＇〃To Niece Denis；〃 dates as above （ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 408； lxxv。 17）。＇ Thank YOU； my Perpetual President； not the less！
OF MAUPERTUIS； IN SUCCESSIVE PHASES。 。。。 〃Maupertuis is not of very engaging ways； he takes my dimensions harshly with his quadrant： it is said there enters something of envy into his DATA。 。。。 A somewhat surly gentleman； not too sociable； and； truth to say； considerably sunk here ＇ASSEZ BAISSE； my D'Argental＇。
。。。 〃I endure Maupertuis； not having been able to soften him。 In all countries there are insociable fellows； with whom you are obliged to live； though it is difficult。 He has never forgiven me for〃omitting to cite him； &c。At Paris he had got the Academy of Sciences into trouble； and himself into general dislike （DETESTER）； then came this Berlin offer。 〃Old Fleuri； when Maupertuis called to take leave； repeated that verse of Virgil； NEC TIBI REGNANDI VENIAT TAM DIRA CUPIDO。 Fleuri might have whispered as much to himself： but he was a mild sovereign lord； and reigned in a gentle polite manner。 I swear to you； Maupertuis does not； in his shop ＇the Academy here＇where； God be thanked； I never go。
〃He has printed a little Pamphlet on Happiness （SUR LE BONHEUR）； it is very dry and miserable。 Reminds you of Advertisements for things lost；so poor a chance of finding them again。 Happiness is not what he gives to those who read him； to those who live with him； he is not himself happy； and would be sorry that others were ＇to Niece Denis this＇。
。。。 〃A very sweet life here； Madame ＇Madame d'Argental； an outside party＇： it would have been more so； if Maupertuis had liked。 The wish to please； is no part of his geometrical studies； the problem of being agreeable to live with； is not one he has solved。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 330； 504 （4th May； 1751； and 14th March； 1752）； to the D'Argentals； to Niece Denis （6th November； 1750； and 24th August； 1751）； lxxiv。 250； 385。＇Add this Anecdote； which is probably D'Arget's； and worth credit： 〃Voltaire had dinner…party； Maupertuis one of them； party still in the drawing…room； dinner just coming up。 'President； your Book； SUR LE BONHEUR； has given me pleasure；' said Voltaire； politely ＇very politely； considering what we have just read＇； given me pleasure； a few obscurities excepted； of which we will talk together some evening。' 'Obscurities？' said Maupertuis； in a gloomy arbitrary tone： 'There may be such for you； Monsieur！' Voltaire laid his hand on the President's shoulder ＇yellow wig near by＇； looked at him in silence； with many…twinkling glance； gayety the topmost expression； but by no means the sole one： 'President； I esteem you； JE VOUS ESTIME； MON PRESIDENT： you are brave； you want war： we will have it。 But； in the mean while； let us eat the King's roast meat。'〃 ＇Duvernet （2d FORM of him； always； p。 176。＇
Friedrich's Answers to these Voltaire Letters； if he wrote any； are all gone。 Probably he answered almost nothing； what we have of his relates always to specific business； receipt of LOUIS QUATORZE； and the like； and is always in friendly tone。 Handsomely keeping Silence for Two！ Here is a snatch from him； on neutral figures and movements of the time：
FRIEDRICH TO WIILHELMINA （November 17th； 1751）。〃I think the Margraf of Anspach will not have stayed long with you。 He is not made to taste the sweets of society： his passion for hunting； and the tippling life he leads this long time； thro
