history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第45部分

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ear　by　Ferney；　till　the　Chateau　got　built＇；　a　big　Ape；　of　excessively　mischievous　turn；　who　used　to　throw　stones　at　the　passers…by；　and　sometimes　would　attack　with　its　teeth　friend　or　foe　alike。　One　day　it　thrice　over　bit　M。　de　Voltaire's　own　leg。　He　had　called　it　LUC　（Luke）；　and　in　conversation　with　select　friends；　as　also　in　Letters　to　such；　he　sometimes　designated　the　King　of　Prussia　by　that　nickname：　'HE　is　like　my　Luc　here；　bites　whoever　caresses　him！'In　1756　M。　de　Voltaire；　having　still　on　his　heart　the　Frankfurt　Outrage；　wrote　curious　MEMOIRES　＇ah；　yes；　VIE　PRIVEE＇；　and　afterwards　wished　to　burn　them；　but　a　Copy　had　been　stolen　from　him　in　1768；〃and　they　still　afflict　the　poor　world。

To　the　same　effect　speaks　Johannes　von　Muller：　〃Voltaire　had　an　Ape　called　Luc；　and　the　spiteful　man；　in　thus　naming　the　King；　meant　to　stigmatize　him　as　the　mere　APE　of　greater　men；　as　one　without　any　greatness　of　his　own。〃No；　LUC　was　mischievous；　flung　stones　after　passengers；　had；　according　to　Clogenson；　〃bitten　Voltaire　himself；　while　being　caressed　by　him；〃　that　was　the　analogy　in　Voltaire's　mind。　Preuss　says；　this　Nickname　first　occurs　〃12th　December；　1757。〃　Suppose　11th　December　to　have　been　the　day　of　getting　one's　leg　bitten　thrice　over；　and　that；　in　bed　next　morning；stiff；　smarting；　fretful　against　the　sad　ape…tricks　and　offences　of　this　life；before　getting　up　to　one's　Works　and　Correspondences；　the　angry　similitude　had　shot；　slightly　fulgurous　and　consolatory；　athwart　the　gloom　of　one's　mood？　＇Longchamp　et　Wagniere　　Memoires；　　i。　34；　Johannes　von　Muller；　　Works　　（12mo；　Stuttgard；　1821）；　xxxi。　140　（LETTERS　TO　HIS　BROTHER；　No；　218；　〃July；　1796〃）；　Clogenson's　Note；　in　　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxvii。　103；　Preuss；　ii。　71。＇　That　will　account　for　Luc。

Many　of　the　Voltaire…Friedrich　LETTERS　are　lost；　and　the　remainder　lie　in　sad　disorder　in　all　the　Editions；　their　sequence　unintelligible　without　lengthy　explanation。　So　that　the　following　Snatches　cannot　well　be　arranged　here　in　the　way　of　Choral　Strophe　and　Antistrophe；　as　would　have　been　desirable。　We　shall　have　to　group　them　loosely　under　heads；　with　less　respect　to　date　than　to　subject…matter；　and　to　the　reader's　convenience　for　understanding　them。


VOLTAIRE　ON　FRIEDRICH；　TO　DIFFERENT　THIRD…PARTIES；　DURING　THIS　WAR。

TO　D'ARGENTAL　（Has　not　yet　heard　of　LEUTHEN；　which　happened　five　days　before）。　。。。　〃I　have　tasted　the　vengeance　of　consoling　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　that　is　enough　for　me。　He　goes　beating　on　the　one　side；　and　getting　beaten　on　the　other：　except　for　another　miracle　＇like　Rossbach＇；　he　will　be　ruined。　Better　have　really　been　a　philosopher；　as　he　pretended　to　be。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxvii。　139　（〃The　Delices；　10th　December；　1757〃）。＇

TO　THE　REVEREND　COMTE　DE　BERNIS　（outwardly　still　our　flourishing　Prime…Minister；　by　grace　of　Pompadour；　but　soon　to　be　extinguished　under　a　Red　Hat。　Date　is　six　days　before　ZORNDORF）。　。。。　〃I　cannot　imagine　how　some　people　have　gone　into　suspecting　that　my　heart　might　have　the　weakness　to　lean　a　little　towards　WHOM　you　know；　towards　my　Ingrate　that　was！　One　is　bound　to　have　politeness；　but　one　has　memory　as　well；and　one　is　attached；　as　warmly　as　superfluously；　to　the　Good　Cause；　which　it　belongs　only　to　you　to　defend。　Certain　it　is；　poor　I　am　not　like　the　three…fourths　of　the　Germans　in　these　days　＇since　ROSSBACH；　above　all＇！　I　have　everywhere　seen　Ladies'…fans　with　the　Prussian　Eagle　painted　on　them；　eating　the　FLEUR…DE…LIS；　the　Hanover　Horse　giving　a　kick　to　M。　de　Richelieu's　bottom；　a　Courier　carrying　a　bottle　of　Queen…of…　Hungary　Water　to　Madame　de　Pompadour。　My　Nieces　shall　certainly　not　have　that　fashion　of　Fans；　at　my　poor　little　DELICES；　whither　I　am　just　returning。〃　＇Ib。　lxxvii。　35　（〃Soleure；　19th　August；　1758〃）。＇

TO　MADAME　D'ARGENTAL　（on　occasion　of　MINDEN：　Kunersdorf　three　days　ago；　but　not　yet　heard　of）。　。。。　〃Truly；　Madame；　when　M。　de　Contades　leads　to　the　butchery　all　the　descendants　of　our　ancient　chevaliers；　and　sets　them　to　attack　eighty　pieces　of　cannon　＇not　in　the　least；　if　you　knew　it；　the　reverse；　if　you　knew　it＇；as　Don　Quixote　did　the　windmills！　This　horrible　day　pierces　my　soul。　I　am　French　to　excess；　especially　since　those　new　favors　＇not　worth　mentioning　here＇；　which　I　owe　to　my　divine　Angels　and　to　M。　le　Duc　de　Choiseul。

〃Lucyou　know　who　Luc　is　＇as　do　we＇is　probably　giving　Battle　to　the　Austrians　and　Russians　＇KUNERSDORF；　12th；　three　days　ago；　did　it；　and　was　beaten　to　your　mind＇；　at　the　moment　while　I　have　the　honor　of　writing　to　you；　at　least；　he　told　me　such　was　his　Royal　intention。　If　they　beat　him；　as　may　happen；　what　a　shame　for　us　to　have　been　beaten　by　the　Duke　of　Brunswick！　I　wish　you　knew　this　Duke　＇as　I　have　done；　a　Duke　of　no　ESPRIT；　no　gift　of　tongue；　in　fact　no　talent　at　all　that　I　could　discern＇；　you　would　be　much　astonished；　and　would　say；　'The　people　whom　he　beats　must　be　great　blockheads。'　The　truth　of　the　fact　is；　that　all　these　troops　are　better　disciplined　than　ours：〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxviii；　186；　187　（〃Delices；　15th　August；　1759〃）。＇Yes　indeed；　my　esteemed　Voltaire；　and　also；　perhaps；　that　ESPRIT；　or　gift　of　tongue；　is　not　the　sole　gift　for　Battles　and　Campaigns？

TO　D'ARGENTAL　（seventh　day　after　KUNERSDORF：　〃mouse　upon　lion's　net〃　nearly　contemporaneous）。　〃At　last；　then；　I　think　my　Russians　must　be　near　Great　Glogau　＇might　have　been；　one　thinks；　after　such　a　Kunersdorf；　did　not　start　for　a　month　yet；　never　could　get　very　near　at　all＇。　Who　would　have　thought　that　Barberina　＇Mackenzie's　Dancer　once；　sent　to　Glogau；　Cocceji　and　she；　when　their　marriage　became　public｝　was　going　to　be　besieged　by　the　Russians；　and　in　Glogau：　O　Destiny！

〃I　don't　love　Luc；　far　from　it：　I　never　will　pardon　him　his　infamous　procedure　with　my　Niece　＇at　Frankfurt　that　time＇；　nor　the　face　he　has　to　write　me　flattering　things　twice　a　month；　without　having　ever　repaired　his　wrongs。　I　desire　much　his　entire　humiliation；　the　chastisement　of　the　sinner；　whether　his　eternal　damnation。　I　don't　quite　know。〃　＇Ib。　lxxviii。　195　（〃19th　August；　1759〃）。＇　（Hear；　hear！）

TO　THE　SAME　（a　month　after　MAXEN：　〃Peace〃　Negotiation　very　lively）。　。。。　〃Meanwhile；　if　Luc　could　be　punished　before　this　happy　Peace！　If；　by　this　last　stroke　of　General　Beck　＇tussle　with　Dierecke　at　Meissen；　4th　December；　capture　of　Dierecke　and　1；500；　stroke　not　of　an　overwhelming　nature；　but　let　us　be　thankful　for　our　mercies＇；　which　has　opened　the　road　from　the　Lausitz　to　Berlin　＇alas；　not　in　the　least＇；　some　Haddick　could　pay　Berlin　a　visit　again！　You　see；　in　Tragedy　I　wish　always　to　have　crime　punished。

〃There　is　talk　of　a　great　Battle　fought　the　6th　＇not　a　word　of　truth　in　it＇　between　Luc　and　him　of　the　Consecrated　Hat：　said　to　have　been　very　murderous。　I　interest　myself　very　much　in　this　Piece〃　now　playing　under　the　Sun。　〃Whenever　the　Austrians　have　any　advantage；　Kaunitz　says　to　Madame　de　Bentinck　＇litigant　wandering　Lady；　known　to　me　at　Berlin　and　elsewhere＇；　'Write　that　to　our　Friend　Voltaire。'　Whenever　Luc　has　the　least　success；　he　tells　me；　'I　have　battered　the　oppressors　of　mankind。　Dear　Angel；　in　these　horrors　I　am　the　only　one　that　has　room　to　laugh：and　yet　I　don't　laugh　either；　owing　to　the　CULS…NOIRS　＇base　crockery；　one's　Dinner　Plate　all　vanished　＇Supra；　p。　374。＇＇；　to　the　Annuities；　Lotteries；　and　to　Pondicherry；for　I　am　always　afraid　about　that　latter！〃　（Going；　that；　for　certain；　going；　gone；　and　your　East　Indies　along　with　it！）　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxviii。　346　（〃22d　December；　1759〃）。＇

TO　PERPETUAL　SECRETARY　FORMEY　（in　forwarding　a　〃Letter　left　with　me〃）。　〃Health　and　peace；　Monsieur；　and　be　SECRETAIRE　ETERNEL。　Your　King　is　always　a　man　unique；　astonishing；　inimitable。　He　makes　charming　verses；　in　times　when　another　could　not　write　a　line　of　prose；　he　deserves　to　be　happy：　but　will　he　be　so？　And　if　not；　what　becomes　of　you？　For　my　own　part；　I　will　not　die　between　two　Capuchins。　Hardly　worth　while；　exalting　one's　soul　for　such　a　future　as　that。　What　a　stupid　and　detestable　farce　this　world　is！〃　＇Ib。　lxxviii。　348　（from　SOUVENIRS　D'UN　CITOYEN；　i。　302）；　〃11th　January　1760。〃＇

TO　D'ARGENTAL　（〃Peace〃　Negotiations　still　at　their　briskest）；　。。。　〃But；　my　dear　Angel；　you　will　see　on　Tuesday　the　great　man　who　has　turned　my　head　（DONT　JE　SUIS　FOU）；　M。　le　Duc　de　Choiseul。　The　Letters　he　honors　me　with　enchant　me。　God　will　bless　him；　don't　doubt　it；〃after　all！　〃We　have　at　Pondicherry　a　Lally；　a　devil　of　an　Irish　spirit；who　will　cost　me；　sooner　or　later；　above　20；000　livres　annually　＇have　rents　in　our　INDIA　COMPANY；　say　1；000　pounds　a　year；　as　my　Angels　know＇；　which　used　to　be　the　readiest　item　of　my　Pittance。　But　M。　le　Duc　de　Choiseul　will　triumph　over　Luc　in　one　way　or　other；　then　what　joy！　I　suppose　he　shows　you　my　impertinent　reveries。　Do　you　know；　Luc　is　so　mad；　that　I　don't　despair　of　bringing　him　to　reason　＇persuading　him　to　give　up　Cleve；　and　knuckle　as　he　should；　in　this　Peace　Affair＇。　That　were　what　I　should　call　the　true　Comedy！　I　should　like　to　have　your　advices　on　the　conduct　of　that　Dramatic　Piece。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxviii。　375　（〃Delices；　15th　February；　1760〃）。＇

The　late　〃mouse〃　gnawing　its　mesh　of　net；　what　a　subtle　and　mighty　hunter　has　it　grown！　This　of　Cleve；　however；　and　of　knuckling；　would　not　do。　Hear　the　stiff　Answer　that　comes：　〃'Conditions　of　Peace；'　do　you　call　them？　The　people　that　propose　such　can　have　no　wish　to　see　Peace。　What　a　logic　theirs！　'I　might　yield　the　Country　of　Cleve；　because　the　inhabitants　are　stupid'！　What　would　your　Ministers　say　if　one　required　the　Province　of　Champagne　from　them；　because　the　Proverb　says；　Ninety…nine　sheep　and　one　Champagner　make　a　Hundred　head　of　cattle？〃　＇Friedrich　to　Voltaire；　〃Freyberg；　3d　April；　1760：〃　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxiii。　73；　74。＇

FAULT　ON　CDISCREFERENCE/FOOTNOTE　ILLEGIBLEP。394…BOOK　XIX　…

AGAIN　TO　D'ARGENTAL　（three　or　four　months　after；　Luc　having　proved　obstinate；　and　still　unsuccessful）。　。。。　〃I　conjure　you　make　use　of　all　your　eloquence　to　tell　him　＇the　supreme　Duc　de　Choiseul＇；　that　if　Luc　misgo；　it　will　be　no　misfortune　to　France。　That　Brandenburg　will　always　remain　an　Electorate；　that