The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-05-16

. rich feast to those abject natures whose
delight is in the agonies of powerful
spirits and in the abaseinent Of immor-
tai names These creatures had now
found way of fgalling to the very quick.
In one walk, at least, it had been nd-
United by envy itself that he was with
out a living competitor. Since Racine
had been laid among the great men
whose ashes make the holy precinct of
Port Royal hofter no tragic poet had
appeared who could contest the palm
with the author of Alzire, of Zairs and
Merope. Atlength rival was announc-
ed. Old Crebillion, who, many years
before, had obtained some theatrical
success, and who had long been forgot
ten, came forth from his garret in one
Of the meanest lanes, near the Rue st.
Antoine, and was welcomed by the ac-
clamations of envious men of letters and
of q eapricious populacc. A thing call
ed Cataline, which he had written in
his retirement, was acted with bound
less applause. Of this execrabIe piece
it is sufficient to say that the plot turns
on love affair carried on in all the
forms of Scudery, between Cataline,
whose son6dante is Pieter Lentelua,
and Tullia, the daughter of Cicero
The thea.sr resounded with acclama-
tions. The king psnsioned the success
full poet, and the coffee-houses pronounc-
ed that Voltaire was clever man, but
that the real tragic inspiration, the ce-
lestial fire which glowed in Corneille
and Racine, was to be found in Crebil-
lion alone.
The blow went to Voltaire's heart
Had his wisdom and fertitude been in
proportion to the fertility of his wit, be
would have seen that it WAS out of the
power of all the puffers and detractors
in Europe to put Cataltns above Zaire;
but he had none of the magnanimsus
patience with which Milton and Bentley
left their claims to the unerring judg-
ment of time. He eagerly engaged in
an undignifed competition with Crebil-
lion, and produced series Of plays on
the same subjects which his rival had
treated. These pieces wero coolly re-
eeived. Angry with the court, angry
with the capital, Voltaire began to find
pleasure in the prospect of exile. His
attachment for Madame de Chatelet
long prevented him from executing his
purpose. Her death set him at liberty,
aud he determined to take refuge in
Berlin. e
To Berlin he was invited in series
of letters couched in the most enthusiasts
tic terms of friendship and admiration.
For once the rigid parsimony of Fred
erick the Great seemed to have relaxed.
Orders, honorable Offices, liberal pension,
well-served table, stately apartments
under a royal roof, were offered in re-
turn for the pleasure aud honor which
were expected from the society of the
first wit of the age. A thousand louis
were remitted for the charges of the
journey. No ambassador setting out
from Berlin for court of the finest rank
had been more amply supplied. But
Voltaire was not satisfied At later
period, when he possessed an ample for
tune, he was one ef the most liberal of
men; but till his means had becone
equal to his wishes, his greediress for
lusre was unrestrained either by justice
or shame. He had the effrontery to ask
fer Thousand louis more in order to
enable him to bring his niece, Madame
Dennis, the ugliest of coquettes. in his
company. ..-
The indelicats rapacity of the poet
produced it's natural effect On the severe
and frugal king. The answer was dry
refusal did not" said His Males
ty, &" solicit the honor of the lady's soei-
ety." On this Voltaire went off into
paroxysm of childish rage. Was there
ever such ayarice He has hundred
tubs full of dollars in his vaults and
huggles with me about poor thousand
louis" 1t seemed that the negotiation
would be broken off; but Frederick,
with great dexterity. affected indiffer-
cnce, and seemed inclined to transfer his
idolatry to Baculard D'Arnaud. His
Majesty even wrote some bad verses, of
which the sense was that Voltalre was
setting sun, and that Arnaud was rising.
Good -natured friends soon carried the
lines to Voltaire He WAS in his bed
He jumped cut in his shirt, and danced
about the room with rage. and sent for
has passport and post-horses. It was
not difficult to foresee the end of con-
nection which had such beginning.
1t was in the year 1850 that Voltaire
left the great capital which he was not
again to see till after the lapse of near
ly thirty years, he returned to die in the
midst of splendid and CHASTITY triumph
His reception in Prussia was such az
might we'll have elated less vain
and excitable mind He wrote to his
friends at Paris that the kindness and
the attention with which he had been
welcomed surpassed description-that
the king was the most amiable of men
that Potsdam was the paradise OF phi
losophers. He was created chamber
lain, and received, together with bis