some weeks： 〃I have put off my journey to Italy for a year。 Next Winter too； therefore； I shall see you；〃 on the road thither。 〃To my Country； since you live in it； I will make frequent visits；〃 very！ 〃Italy and the King of Prussia are two old passions with me； but I cannot treat Frederic…le…Grand as I can the Holy Father； with a mere look in passing。〃 ＇To D'Argental； 〃Berlin； 14th September；Potsdam； 15th October； 1750〃 （ OEuvres； lxxiv。 220； 237）。＇ Let this one； to which many might be added； serve as sample of Sedative First； or the power and intention to be off before long。
In regard to Sedative Second； again： 。。。 〃The happiest circumstance is； 〃brought with me all my LOUIS…FOURTEENTH Papers and Excerpts。 'I get from Leipzig； if no nearer； whatever Books are needed；'〃 and labor faithfully at this immortal Production。 Yes； day by day； to see growing； by the cunning of one's own right hand； such perennial Solomon's…Temple of a SIECLE DE LOUIS QUATORZE：which of your Kings； or truculent； Tiglath…Pilesers； could do that？ To poor me； even in the Potsdam tempests； it is possible： what ugliest day is not beautiful that sees a stone or two added there！Daily Voltaire sees himself at work on his SIECLE； on those fine terms； trowel in one hand； weapon of war in the other。 And does actually accomplish it； in the course of this Year 1751；with a great deal of punctuality and severe painstaking； which readers of our day； fallen careless of the subject； are little aware of； on Voltaire's behalf。 Voltaire's reward was； that he did NOT go mad in that Berlin element； but had throughout a bower…anchor to ride by。 〃The King of France continues me as Gentleman of the Chamber； say you； but has taken away my Title of Historiographer？ That latter； however； shall still be my function。 'My present independence has given weight to my verdicts on matters。 Probably I never could have written this Book at Paris。' A consolation for one's exile； MON ENFANT。〃 ＇To Niece Denis （ OEuvres； lxxiv。 247； &c。 &c。）； 〃28th October； 1750；〃 and subsequent dates。＇
It is proper also to observe that； besides shining at the King's Suppers like no other； Voltaire applies himself honestly to do for his Majesty the small work required of him；that of Verse… correcting now and then。 Two Specimens exist； two Pieces criticised； ODE AUX PRUSSIENS； and THE ART OF WAR： portions of that Reprint now going on （〃to the extent of Twelve Copies；〃woe lies in one of them； most unexpected at this time！） 〃AU DONJON DU CHATEAU；〃under benefit of Voltaire's remarks。 Which one reads curiously； not without some surprise。 ＇In OEuvres de Frederic； x。 276…303。＇ Surprise； first at Voltaire's official fidelity； his frankness； rigorous strictness in this small duty： then at the kind of correcting； instructing and lessoning； that had been demanded of him by his Royal Pupil。 Mere grammatical stylistic skin…deep work： nothing （or； at least； in these Specimens nothing） of attempt upon the interior structure； or the interior harmony even of utterance： solely the Parisian niceties； graces； laws of poetic language； the FAS and the NEFAS in regard to all that： this is what his Majesty would fain be taught from the fountain…head；one wonders his Majesty did not learn to spell； which might have been got from a lower source！And all this Voltaire does teach with great strictness。 For example； in the very first line； in the very first word； set； before him：
〃PRUSSIENS； QUE LA VALEUR CONDUISIT A LA GLOIRE；〃 so Friedrich had written （ODE AUX PRUSSIENS； which is specimen First）； and thus Voltaire criticises： 〃The Hero here makes his PRUSSIENS of two syllables； and afterwards； in another strophe； he grants them three。 A King is master of his favors。 At the same time； one does require a little uniformity； and the IENS are usually of two syllables； as LIENS； SILESIENS； AUTRICHIENS； excepting the monosyllables BIEN； RIEN〃Enough； enough！A severe； punctual； painstaking Voltaire； sitting with the schoolmaster's bonnet on head； ferula visible； if not actually in hand。 For which； as appears； his Majesty was very grateful to the Trismegistus of men。
Voltaire's flatteries to Friedrich； in those scattered little Billets with their snatches of verse； are the prettiest in the world；and approach very near to sincerity； though seldom quite attaining it。 Something traceable of false； of suspicious； feline； nearly always； in those seductive warblings； which otherwise are the most melodious bits of idle ingenuity the human brain has ever spun from itself。 For instance； this heading of a Note sent from one room to another；perhaps with pieces of an ODE AUX PRUSSIENS accompanying：
〃Vou gui daignez me departir Les fruits d'une Muse divine； O roi！ je ne puis consentir Que； sans daigner m'en avertir； Vous alliez prendre medecine。 Je suis votre malade…ne； Et sur la casse et le sene； J'ai des notions non communes。 Nous sommes de mene metier； Faut…il de moi vous defier； Et cacher vos bonnes fortunes？〃
Was there ever such a turn given to taking physic！ Still better is this other； the topic worse；HAEMORRHOIDS （a kind of annual or periodical affair with the Royal Patient； who used to feel improved after）：
。。。 （Ten or twelve verses on another point； then suddenly）
〃Que la veine hemorroidale De votre personne royale Cesse de troubler le repos！ Quand pourrai…je d'une style honnete Dire： 'Le cul de mon heros Va tout aussi bien que sa tete'？〃 ＇In OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 283； 267。＇
A kittenish grace in these things； which is pleasant in so old a cat。
Smelfungus says： 〃He is a consummate Artist in Speech； our Voltaire： that； if you take the word SPEECH in its widest sense； and consider the much that can be spoken； and the infinitely more that cannot and should not； is Voltaire's supreme excellency among his fellow…creatures； never rivalled （to my poor judgment） anywhere before or since；nor worth rivalling； if we knew it well。〃
Another fine circumstance is； that Voltaire has frequent leave of absence； and in effect passes a great deal of his time altogether by himself； or in his own way otherwise。 What with Friedrich's Review Journeys and Business Circuits； considerable separations do occur of themselves； and at any time； Voltaire has but to plead illness； which he often does； with ground and without； and get away for weeks； safe into the distance more or less remote。 He is at the Marquisat （as we laboriously make out）； at Berlin； in the empty Palace； perhaps in Lodgings of his own （though one would prefer the GRATIS method）； nursing his maladies； which are many； writing his LOUIS QUATORZE； 〃lonely altogether； your Majesty； and sad of humor；〃yet giving his cosy little dinners； and running out； pretty often； if well invited； into the brilliancies and gayeties。 No want of brilliant social life here； which can shine； more or less； and appreciate one's shining。 The King's Supper…parties Yes； and these； though the brightest； are not the only bright things in our Potsdam…Berlin world。 Take with you； reader； one or two of the then and there Chief Figures； Voltaire's fellow…players； strutting and fretting their hour on that Stage of Life。 They are mostly not quite strangers to you。
We know the sublime Perpetual President in his red wig； and sublime supremacy of Pure Science。 A gloomy set figure； affecting the sententious； the emphatic and a composed impregnability；like the Jove of Science。 With immensities of gloomy vanity； not compressible at all times。 Friedrich always strove to honor his Perpetual President； and duly adore the Pure Sciences in him； but inwardly could not quite manage it； though outwardly he failed in nothing。 Impartial witnesses confess； the King had a great deal of trouble with his gloomings and him。 〃Who is this Voltaire？〃 gloomily thinks the Perpetual President to himself。 〃A fellow with a nimble tongue； that is all。 Knows nothing whatever of Pure Sciences； except what fraction or tincture he has begged or stolen from myself。 And here is the King of the world in raptures with him！〃
Voltaire from of old had faithfully done his kowtows to this King of the Sciences； and； with a sort of terror； had suffered with incredible patience a great deal from him。 But there comes an end to all things； Voltaire's patience not excepted。 It lay in the fates that Maupertuis should steadily accumulate； day after day； and now more than ever heretofore； upon the sensitive Voltaire。 Till； as will be seen； the sensitive Voltaire could endure it no longer； but had to explode upon this big Bully （accident lending a spark）； to go off like a Vesuvius of crackers； fire…serpents and sky…rockets； envelop the red wig； and much else； in delirious conflagration；and produce the catastrophe of this Berlin Drama。
D'Argens； poor dissolute creature； is the best of the French lot。 He has married； after so many temporary marriages with Actresses； one Actress in permanence； Mamsell Cochois； a patient kind being； and settled now； at Potsdam here； into perfectly composed household life。 Really loves Friedrich； they say； the only Frenchman of them that does。 Has abundance of light sputtery wit； and Provencal fire and ingenuity； no ill…nature against any man。 Never injures anybody； nor lies at all about anything。 A great friend of fine weather； regrets； of his inheritances in Provence； chiefly one item； and this not overmuch；the bright southern sun。 Sits shivering in winter…time； wrapping himself in more and more flannel； two dressing…gowns； two nightcaps：loyal to this King； in good times and in evil。
Was the King's friend for thirty years； helped several meritorious people to his Majesty's notice； and never did any man a mischief in that quarter。 An erect； guileless figure； very tall； with vivid countenance； chaotically vivid mind： full of bright sallies； irregular ingenuities； had a hot temper too； which did not often run away with him； but sometimes did。 He thrice made a visit to Provence；in fact ran away from the King； feeling bantered and roasted to a merciless degree；but thr