The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-16 00:00:00

CIVIL TRIBUNAL OP THEfIRST INSTANCE AT

PART! .

A trial on the subject of a new species of chocolate, which has
received the title of Chocolat-Voltaire, has lately afforded consi-
derable amusement to the auditory of the Civil Tribunal. The fol-
lowing is an outline of the case .
A few months ago, Monsieur F. de St. Ir., a gentleman and a
man of letters, called upon Monsieur D., a manufacturer of cho-
colate. •• I have discovered (said he, addressing Monsieur D.) a
certain means of Taking your fortune and my own, if you are wil-
ling to co-operate with me. All the world knows that Voltaire re-
ceived from nature a singularly frail and delicate constitution,
which his habits of study, and close application, tended still further
to impair. All the world, too, knows, that notwithstanding his ns.
final delicacy, he attained the great age of eighty-four years : but
the world is not so well aware of the means which he employed for
the prolongation of his life, or that he was indebted for his longe-
vity to the breakfasts which he made of a mixture of chocolate and
coffee. I know the fact from the best authority (continued Mon-
sieut F.). Monsieur Mercier, the author of • The Picture of
Paris,' was an acquaintance of my father's, and an intimate friend
of Voltaire's : he was often present at the breakfasts of that great
man, and has frequently assured my father, that Voltaire always
kept by his side a cup of coffee-chocolate, or chocolate-coffee. as you
may please to call it. See here, then, a brilliant speculation,
founded on an historical tact ! Mix together immediately eon.
veaient quantities of coffee and of chocolate ; we will call the com-
pound Chocolat:Voltaire. You can pay me, in the first instance, a
small compliment, for the happy idea which I communicate to you.
You sill of course bear the expense of the materials, the manu-
facture, end the sale t but with respect to the celebrity of our dia.
ailale. and the enthusiasm with which all stomachs ought to be in.
spired for so sublime a discovery, I, as a man of testers, will make I
that my business. I will compose advertisements and petspee-
fuses, which shall act forth its merits, and which we will take care
to distr.-lee. particularly among persons of a delicate constitution,
like Voltaire. Besides, I have an extensive connexion among the
editors of the r.ewapapers ; I will let them taste the merit Moue
invention, and, by prelim st‘a few pounds of our chocolate, prove
to that, beyond demonstration, the great superiority of our cho-
colate above all the chocolates past, present, or future. You shall
hear the concert of encomium, with which their pages will salute
our composition : these encomiums will be repeated in every draw.
inn-mom and in every kitchen ; and as this age is at once phi-
losophical and sensual, the whole world will run after the Chocolat-
Voltaire, the cash will flow fast into your coffers, and, as I am ge-
nerous and disinterested, I ask but a trifling fraction of your enor-
mous profits : let me have fifteen sous for every pound of chocolate
which you sell." This was a tempting picture ; the worthy Mon.
deur never doulded the summits of the project, but embraced
with eagerness all the proposals of Mr. F. Yive hundred francs
was agreed on as the price of the suggestion, of which sum Mon-
aieur D. paid one hundred down, and gave security for the remain-
der : he also al oved Monsieur F.'s demand of fifteen sous per
pound on the tale. The matter being thus arranged between the
parties, they immediately set to work—the one manufactured the
chocolate, the other its reputation ; puffs and prospectuses without
number were ushered into the world ; the journalists, the friends of
Mr. F., received and relished the new chocolate. One of these
gentlemen (the Editor of the Pilots) carried his complaisance so
far, as to condescend to taste it in the house of Monsieur D.,
who treated him with a handsome dinner on the eceasion. This
civility on the part of Monsieur D. was repaid by a handsome arti.
de in the Piloir, entitl.ll, ‘• Alliance between two great Powers,
viz. Chocolate and Coffee." Du ties article, the writer stated that
nothing was talked of in Paris but the Chocolat-Voltaire. and that
crowds always filled the shop of Monsieur D. Monsieur 1). never•
theists remained all the while in the most profound tranquillity ;
be was neverdistwrbed by that crowd which Mons. F. had promised
bias, and which the editor of the Pilot(' had descried from his desk,
while taking his cup of Cliocolet.voltaire. During the space of
several mot.tlita he sold but 20 pounds of this marvellous composi-
tion. Monsieur F. grew uneasy at the same time ; his profit of 15
Ms per pound fell snort of his expectations; he insisted also that
he had not celebrated gratuitously the merits of the Chocolat-Vol-
tnire. In consequence he brought a formal demand against Mona.
D., first for ills share in the profits of such a quantity of the choco-
late as he aticeivcd oug•it to have been sold; and, secondly, for a
remuneration for his trouble in writing advertisements. &c.
Monsieur Iravaux, the Advocate of Monsieur D., lamented
that his client had been the dupe of his adversary, and declared
that the Chocolat-Voltaire, in spite of its fame, lay dead in the ware-
house. With respect to the first demand, he said his client was
ready to show his books, in order to prove the quantity sold ; and
as to the second, he maintained that Monsieur F. could not seek
any compensation for labours which he spontaneously undertook ;
and besides that, he was sufficiently paid by the sums he had al.
ready received.
The Co I:1:T admitted the last point, and on the subject of the
first demand, the parties were referred to an arbitrator.