history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第46部分

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　misgo；　it　will　be　no　misfortune　to　France。　That　Brandenburg　will　always　remain　an　Electorate；　that　it　is　good　there　be　no　Elector　in　it　strong　enough　to　do　without　the　protection　of　our　King；　and　that　all　the　Princes　of　the　Empire　will　always　have　recourse　to　that　august　protection　（Most　Christian　Majesty's＇　CONTRA　L'AQUILA　GRIFAGNA；were　the　Prussian　Kingship　but　abolished。　Nota　bene；　if　Luc　were　discomfited　this　Year；　we　should　have　Peace　next　Winter。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxix。　110　（〃July；　1760〃）。＇

TO　SUPREME　CHOISEUL　（a　year　later）。　。。。　〃He　has　been　a　bad　man；　this　Luc；　and　now；　if　one　were　to　bet；by　the　law　of　probability　it　would　be　3　to　1　that　Lnc　will　go　to　pot　（SERA　PERDU）；　with　his　rhymings　and　his　banterings；　and　his　injustices　and　politics；　all　as　bad　as　himself。〃　＇Ib。　lxxx。　313　（〃Chateau　de　Ferney；　13th　July；　1761〃）。＇


VOLTAIRE　ON　SURROUNDING　OBJECTS；　CHIEFLY　ON　MAUPERTUIS；　AND　THE　BATTLES。

TO　D'ALEMBERT　（in　the　Rossbach…Leuthen　interval：　on　the　Battle　of　BRESLAU；　22d　November；　1757；　called　by　the　Austrians　〃a　Malplaquet；〃　and　believed　by　Voltaire　to　be　a　Malplaquet　and　more）。　。。。　〃The　Austrians　do　avenge　us；　and　humble　us　＇us；　and　our　miserable　Rossbachs＇；　in　a　terrible　manner。　Thirteen　attacks　on　the　Prussian　intrenchments；　lasted　six　hours；　never　was　Victory　bloodier；　or　more　horribly　beautiful　＇in　the　brain　of　certain　men＇。　We　pretty　French　fellows；　we　are　more　expeditious；　our　job　is　done　in　five　minutes。　The　King　of　Prussia　is　always　writing　me　Verses；　now　like　a　desperado；　now　like　a　hero；　and　as　for　me；　I　try　to　live　like　a　philosopher　in　my　hermitage。　He　has　obtained　what　he　always　wished：　to　beat　the　French；　to　be　admired　by　them；　to　mock　them；　but　the　Austrians　are　mocking　him　in　a　very　serious　way。　Our　shame　of　November　5th　has　given　him　glory；　and　with　such　glory；　which　is　but　transient　and　dearly　bought；　he　must　content　himself。　He　will　lose　his　own　Countries；　with　those　he　has　seized；　unless　the　French　again　discover　＇which　they　will＇　the　secret　of　losing　all　their　Armies；　as　they　did　in　1741。〃　＇Ib。　Lxxvii。　133；　134　（〃Delices；　6th　December；　1757；〃　day　after　Leuthen）。＇

FAULT　ON　CDISC　AS　ABOVEP。395　BOOK　XIX…


TO　CLAIRAUT；　THE　MATHEMATICIAN　（Maupertuis　lately　dead）。　An　excellent　Treatise；　this　you　have　sent　me；　Monsieur！　〃Your　war　with　the　Geometers　on　the　subject　of　this　Comet　appears　to　me　like　a　war　of　the　gods　in　Olympus；　while　on　Earth　there　is　going　on　a　fight　of　dogs　and　cats。　。。。　Would　to　Heaven　our　friend　Moreau…Maupertuis　had　cultivated　his　art　like　you！　That　he　had　predicted　comets；　instead　of　exalting　his　soul　to　predict　the　future；　of　dissecting　the　brains　of　giants　to　know　the　nature　of　the　soul；　of　japanning　people　with　pitch　to　cure　them　of　every　malady；　of　persecuting　Konig；　and　of　dying　between　Two　Capuchins〃　（dead　three　weeks　ago；　on　those　terms；　poor　soul）！　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxviii。　191　（〃Delices；　19th　August；　1759〃）。＇

TO　D'ALEMBERT　（a　week　later）。　。。。　〃What　say　you　of　Maupertuis　dying　between　Two　Capuchins！　He　was　ill；　this　long　while；　of　a　repletion　of　pride；　but　I　had　not　reckoned　him　either　a　hypocrite　or　an　imbecile。　I　don't　advise　you　ever　to　go　and　fill　his　place　at　Berlin；　you　would　repent　that。　I　am　Astolpho　warning　Roger　（Ruggiero）　not　to　trust　himself　to　the　Enchantress　Alcina；　but　Roger　was　unadvisable。〃　＇Ib。　lxxviii。　197　（〃Delices；　25th　August；　1759〃）。＇

TO　THE　SAME　（two　years　later：　Luc；　on　certain　grounds；　may　as　well　be　saved）。　〃With　regard　to　Luc；　though　I　have　my　just　causes　of　anger　against　him；　I　own　to　you；　in　my　quality　of　Frenchman　and　thinking　being；　I　am　glad　that　a　certain　most　Orthodox　House　has　not　swallowed　Germany；　and　that　the　Jesuits　are　not　confessing　in　Berlin。　Over　towards　the　Danube　superstition　is　very　powerful。　。。。　The　INFAMEYou　are　well　aware　that　I　speak　of　superstition　only；　for　as　to　the　Christian　religion；　I　respect　and　love　it；　like　you。　Courage；　Brethren！　Preach　with　force；　and　write　with　address：　God　will　bless　you。Protect；　you　my　Brother；　the　Widow　Calas　all　you　can！　She　is　a　poor　weak…minded　Huguenot；　but　her　Husband　was　the　victim　of　the　WHITE　PENITENTS。　It　is　the　concern　of　Human　Nature　that　the　Fanatics　of　Toulouse　be　confounded。〃　（The　case　of　Calas；　SECOND　act　of　it；　getting　on　the　scene：　a　case　still　memorable　to　everybody。　Stupendous　bit　of　French　judicature；　and　Voltaire's　noblest　outburst；　into　mere　transcendent　blaze　of　pity；　virtuous　wrath；　and　determination　to　bring　rescue　and　help　against　the　whole　world。）　＇　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxviii。　52；　53　（〃Ferney；　28th　November；　1762〃）。＇


FRIEDRICH　TO　VOLTAIRE；　BEFORE　AND　DURING　THESE　PEACE　NEGOTIATIONS。

AT　SCHMOTTSEIFEN；　FIVE　DAYS　BEFORE　ZULLICHAU；　TEN　DAYS　BEFORE　THAT　HUNT　OF　LOUDON　AND　HADDICK　（Voltaire；　under　rebuke　for　indiscretion；　has　been　whimpering　a　little。　My　discreet　Niece　burnt　those　LAST　verses；　Sire；　no　danger　there；　at　least！　Truculent　Bishop　Something…AC　tried　to　attack　your　Majesty；　but　was　done　for　by　a　certain　person）。　Friedrich　answers：　〃In　truth；　you　are　a　singular　creature。　When　I　think　of　scolding　you；　you　say　two　words；　and　the　reproach　expires。　Impossible　to　scold　you；　even　when　you　deserve　it。　。。。

〃As　to　your　Niece；　let　her　burn　me　or　roast　me；　I　care　little。　Nor　are　you　to　think　me　so　sensitive　to　what　your　Bishops　in　IC　or　in　AC　may　say　of　me。　I　have　the　lot　of　all　actors　who　play　in　public；　applauded　by　some；　despised　by　others。　One　must　prepare　oneself　for　satires；　for　calumnies；　for　a　multitude　of　lies；　which　will　be　sent　abroad　into　currency　against　one：　but　need　that　trouble　my　tranquillity？　I　go　my　road；　I　do　nothing　against　the　interior　voice　of　my　conscience；　and　I　concern　myself　very　little　in　what　way　my　actions　paint　themselves　in　the　brain　of　beings；　not　always　very　thinking；　with　two　legs　and　without　feathers。〃　＇〃Schmottseifen；　18th　July；　1759；〃　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxiii。　55；　56。＇

AT　WILSDRUF；　JUST　BEFORE　MAXEN　（an　exultant　exuberant　curious　Letter；　too　long　for　insertion；part　of　it　given　above）。　。。。　〃For　your　Tragedy　of　SOCRATE；　thanks。　At　Paris　they　are　going　to　burn　it；　the　wretched　fools；not　aware　that　absurd　fanaticism　is　their　dominant　vice。　Better　burn　the　dose　of　medicine；　however；　than　the　useful　Doctor。　I；　can　I　join　myself　to　that　set？　If　I　bite　you；　as　you　complain；　it　is　without　my　knowledge。　But　I　am　surrounded　with　enemies；　one　hitting　me；　another　pricking　me；　another　daubing　me　with　mud；patience　at　last　yields；　and　one　flies　abroad　into　a　general　rage；　too　indiscriminate　perhaps。〃

You　talk　of　my　Verses　on　Rossbach　（my　ADIEU　TO　THE　HOOPERS　on　finding　their　Bridge　burnt　＇Supra；　p。　21。＇）。　〃This　Campaign　I　have　had　no　beatific　vision；　in　the　style　of　Moses。　The　barbarous　Cossacks　and　Tartars；　infamous　to　look　at　on　any　side；　have　burnt　and　ravaged　countries；　and　committed　atrocious　inhumanities。　This　is　all　I　saw　of　THEM。　Such　melancholy　spectacles　don't　tend　to　raise　one's　spirits。　＇Breaks　off　into　metre：＇　LA　FORTUNE　INCONSTANTE　ET　FIERE；　Fortune　inconstant　and　proud。　Does　not　treat　her　suitors　Always　in　an　equal　manner。　Those　fools　called　heroes；　who　run　the　country；

　Ces　fous　nommes　heros；　et　qui　courent　les　champs；　　　　　　　　　　Couverts　de　sang　et　de　poussiere；　　　　　　　　　　Voltaire；　n'ont　pas　tous　les　ans　　　　　　　　　　La　faceur　de　voir　le　derriere　　　　　　　　　　De　leurs　ennemis　insolents。　　

Can't　expect　that　pleasure　every　year〃！　。。。

Maupertuis；　say　you？　〃Don't　trouble　the　ashes　of　the　dead；　let　the　grave　at　least　put　an　end　to　your　unjust　hatreds。　Reflect　that　even　Kings　make　peace　after　long　battling；　cannot　you　ever　make　it？　I　think　you　would　be　capable；　like　Orpheus；　of　descending　to　Hell；　not　to　soften　Pluto　and　bring　back　your　beautiful　Emilie；　but　to　pursue　into　that　Abode　of　Woe　an　enemy　whom　your　wrath　has　only　too　much　persecuted　in　the　world：　for　shame！〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxiii。　61…65　（〃Wilsdruf；　17th　November；　1759〃）。＇and　rebukes　him；　more　than　once　elsewhere；　in　very　serious　terms。

IN　WINTER…QUARTERS；　ON　PEACE　AND　THE　STOLEN　EDITION。　（Starts　in　verse；　which　we　abridge：）　With　how　many　laurels　you　have　covered　yourself　in　all　the　fields　of　Literature！　One　laurel　yet　is　wanting　to　the　brow　of　Voltaire。　If；　as　the　crown　of　so　many　perfect　works；　he　could　by　a　skilful　manoeuvre　bring　back　Peace；　I；　and　Europe　with　me；　would　think　that　his　masterpiece！　＇Takes　to　prose：＇

〃This　is　my　thought　and　all　Europe's。　Virgil　made　as　fine　Verses　as　you；　but　he　never　made　a　Peace。　It　will　be　a　distinction　you　will　have　over　all　your　brethren　of　Parnassus；　if　you　succeed。

〃I　know　not　who　has　betrayed　me；　and　thought　of　printing　＇the　EDITION；not　you；　surely！＇　a　pack　of　rhapsodies　which　were　good　enough　to　amuse　myself；　but　were　never　meant　for　publication。　After　all；　I　am　so　used　to　treacheries　and　bad　manoeuvres；〃what　matters　this　insignificant　one？

〃I　know　not　who　the　Bredow　is　＇whom　you　speak　of　having　met＇；　but　he　has　told　you　true。　The　sword　and　death　have　made　frightful　ravages　among　us。　And　the　worst　is；　we　are　not　yet　at　the　end　of　the　tragedy。　You　may　judge　what　effect　these　cruel　shocks　made　on　me。　I　wrap　myself　in　my　stoicism；　the　best　I　can。　Flesh　and　blood　revolt　against　such　tyrannous　command；　but　it　must　be　followed。　If　you　saw　me；　you　would　scarcely　know　me　again：　I　am　old；　broken；　gray…headed；　wrinkled；　I　am　losing　my　teeth　and　my　gayety：　if　this　go　on；　there　will　be　nothing　of　me　left；　but　the　mania　of　making　verses；　and　an　inviolable　attachment　to　my　duties　and　to　the　few　virtuous　men　whom　I　know。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxiii。　69　（〃Freyberg；　24th　Feb。　1760〃）。＇

IN　WINTER…QUARTERS；　A　MONTH　LATER　（comes　still　on　〃Peace〃　again）。　。。。　〃I　will　have　you　paid　that　bit　of　debt　＇perhaps　of　postage　or　the　like＇；　that　Louis　of　the　Mill　（Louis　du　Moulin；〃　at　Fontenoy；　who　got　upon　a　Windmill　with　his　Dauphin；　and　caught　that　nickname　from　the　common　men）　〃may　have　wherewithal　to　make　war　on　me。　Add　tenth…penny　tax　to　your　tax　of　twentieth…penny；　impose　new　capitations；　make　titular　offices　to　get　money；　do；　in　a　word；　whatever　you　like。　In　spite　of　all　your　efforts；　you　will　not　get　a　Peace　signed　by　my　hands；　except　on　conditions　honorable