Richmond palladium., 1843-08-26
JOSEPH EMERSON.
QUINCY, July II, 1913.


REVEREND SIR: In answer to the inquiries in
your letter Of the l1th instant, cheerfally state
first that never published or made translation
If Vo:aire's Philosophical Dictionary; second,
that never read that work and am therefore un
abio 10 give opinion upon lis mcrits; third
that never saw the book mentioned by YOU as
p1rporiing TO be translation of Voltalre's Phil
osophicll Dictionary, by J ohm Quincy Adams ;
fourth, that have helrd Of person, a stranger
to ne bearing that name, but kn ow not how he
came by it, nor to what family he belongs.
| have read extracts from Voltaife's Phiiosoph-
zeal Dictionary and others Of his writings infect
ed with infioli;y, bat havo also read and seen
parformed on the stage his tragedies Of Zaire
Azure, and Laiomot, and haYo read his egic
poem Of the Henrada. have read his writings
which he complains that ne had been accused
II irretigtous proPonslties, aud appeals to these
tragedies and his epic poem proofs Of his
'h3d9Xy. lie boasts that when his tragedy of Xaire
first performed il called the Christian
trage dy. Ia The tragedy of Alzlra Spanish
Vieeroy is murdered by Peruvian Iadian; ond
when tho assassin is brought before htsn, US ho
is dying, ao says:
Learn now the difference between thy so3s AMI mine:
Thy gods command thee revenge an5 murder;
AMI mine when thou hast stabbed me ;he heart,
Command me to pity and forgive theo!'
II his Honrladc he glorlios Henry tho Fourth for
having been converted by a vision. in which his
ancestor, ST. Louis, proves to him the truth Of the
doct;ne Of ltransubstantialion; and he dedicated
his tragedy OF Mohomet to Pope Benedict XIV,
assuring him that IN exposing the imposter Of "A
false religion, there was person to whom the
work could with so much PToPTiety be dedicated
rs 10 the head ot tho tf0e religion: compliment
for which the sovereign pontttf rewarded him us
4 true aud fathfl! son Of tho holy church, with
his paternal and apostolic bonediclion.
Now. if the Iaf1el neighbor Of the Rov. Mr..
Hubbard declared that he would have no further
caf eace in me if had been blowing ho. anl
cod, by publishing 4 translation of Voltaire's
Philosophical Dictionary, nud yet protesting for
myself religious sentiments and opinions, how
could he hava any conli1ouce in VoltAlre, himself
sdch adopI IN the art Of blowing not and cold
that he wrote with the same pen hra Philosophical
Dictionary aad his IenrlaJe, his 4 ire. bis A'zi-e
md his II 3h0met? How could the iuli1ei iastifv
himself for recomme ndlng to his friend the work
Of such weathercock in religious opinions as
Foltaire, and ye, profess 10 Withdraw all his con-
h1Cnce IN me for my supposed Inconsistency in
publishing ,bo indiel trash Of Voltaire, and yet
avowing religious sentiments for myself?
The truth IS that Vo!taire was lively, sarcas-
tical, disengenuous, pTej1diced fanatical disbe-
lever IN Christianity, ready to assume the mask
Of religion, or TO cast ii away, just as il suited
MS iuteFesl or huin0r: Iateni above all thjugs up
On making himself n name. and hatterng himself
that his easiest way TO 90 it was by demoIishing
tho Christian religion. | never thought his Phi F
osophical Dictionary worth reading, and read
his B bic only to desPise it.
| have read also his Maid Of Orleans, and des,
oi5e him also for that-infamous for its perveTsion
of all moral priucipIe aud all deceney. Its I'M IS
ttce OF the brightest characters in human
history is its most crying sin. Il F9en Gilman /
who can think speak Of Joan of Arc without /
must have hear, colder than the
e erasting ice Of the poles.
Yol ara at liberty, sir, 10 make such use Of this /
letter as you think proper. ! an certriniy not /
ambitious of the reputation Of spending my time
in trans'a,ing VoItaire's Philosophical Diction /
lrv.
There are very few from some of whose wr
.ings have recoiled with more disgust and horror:
IF his leliiclity and dissouta morals have had
more than a shrfeit; and if have ever derived
,ag benefit from them it has only been by that
process which extracts healing medicine from the I
dead.iest Of poisons
an, very respectfully and thankfully, dear
sir, your obedIeni servant
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
SAFE Scala letter closed with the white