Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-04-10

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Frenchmen, succeeded in producing a
bitter enmity between them. Voltaire
had resolved to set his mark, never 10 be
clfaced, on the forehead OF Maupertius;
and wrote the exqustcly ludicrous dia.
tribe Of Doctor Ahakia. He showed this
little piece TO Frederic, who had too
much taste and too much malice not 10 |.
relish such delicious pleasantly. In
truth, even at this time Of day, it is not
easy for any one who has the least per.
ception Of the ludicrous TO read the
jokes on the Latin city, the Patagonians,
aud the hole in the centre Of the earth,
without laughing till he cries. But tho
Frederic was diverted at this charming
pasquinade, hc was unwilling that il
should get abroad. His self.lovc was
interested. He had selected Mauper,ius
to fill the Chair Of his Academy. lfall
Europe were taught 10 laugh at Maupcr.
thus, would not the reputation Of the
Academy, would not even the dignity Of
its royal patron be in some degree com.
promised? The king, therefore, begged
voitaire to suppress his performance
Voltairc promised 10 do so, and broke
his word. The diatribc was published,
S and received with shouts OF merriment
and applause by all who could read the
French language. The king stormed /!
1 Voltaire, with his usual disregard for
truth, protested his innocence, and made
n. up some lie about printer or an aman.
ucnsis. The king was not so 10 be i'm.
. posed upon. H. ordered the pamphlet
to be burnt by the common hangman,
and insisted upon having an apology
: from Voltaire couched in the most alb.
ect terms. Voltaire sent back to the
$ king his cross his key, and the patent Of
: his pension. After this burst Of rage,
: the strange pair began 10 be ashamed Of
y their violence, and went through the
. forms Of reconciliation. But the breach
> was irreparable. Voltaire took his leave
of Frederic forever. They parted with
: cold civility but their hearts were BIZ
c with resentment. Volairc had in his
n keeping volume of the kings poetry
u and forgot to return it. This was, we
j. believe, merely one Of the ove,si ght.
n which men setting upon journey often
d commit. That Vol,aire could have med.
l. i,ated plagiarism is quite incredible. HI
g would not, we are confident, for the hal
l. Of Fiederic's kingdom, have consented
'' to father Frederc'S verses. The king
s. however, who rated his own writings mucl
c. above their real value, and who was in
I. clined to see all Voltaire's actions ir
81 their worst light was enraged to thnl
'e that his (avorite compositions were in th'
'e hands Of an enemy as thevish as daw
IL and as mischievous as monkey. Ii
S, tho anger excited by this thought, he los
III sight Of reason and decency, and deter
ns mined on committing an outrage at one
fy odious and ridiculous.
80 Voltaire had reached Frankfort. Hi
rs niece, Madame Denis, came thilher t
or meet him. He conceived himself secu'
ne from the power Of his late master, whc
ne he was arrested by order of the Prussia
resident. The precious volume was dc
lvered up. But the PIussian agents ha
been instructed not to let Voltaie es
Mt. cape without some gross indignity. Fl
- was confined twelve days in a wrctche
ol. hovel. Sentincls with fixed bayone
'st kept guard over him. His niece wa
1t dragged through the mire by the soldier
les Sixteen hundred dollars had been exto
d. ted from him by his inselent jailors.
us When at length the illustrious prison
ol er was set at liberty, the prospect was b.
on dreary. He was an exile both from Il
10 country of his birth, and the country
lmte m his adoption.
ne He took refuge on the beautiful shor
IN Of Lake Leman. There loosed from e
TOT cry tic which had hitherto restrained hi
re- and having little to fear or hope fro
- courts and churches, he began his lo'
on war against all that, whether for got
ht' or evil, had authority over the mind
oe,. man. What Burke said Of the Const
OF uent Assembly was eminently true
ing this its Great Forerunner. He could n
'of' build--he could only pull down
''er was the very Vitruvius of ruin. He h
an bequeathed to US not single doctrine
,nI'n " be called by his name-not a sins
aea addition to the stock Of our posti
f'c' knowledge. But no human teacher e,
10 left behind him so vast and terrible
ehl' wreck oftruths and Ialsehoods--ofthir
lon' noble and things base-of things use
'ah' and things pernicous. From the I'll
- when his sojourn beneath the Al lps CO
inc menced, the dramatist, the wit, the h
oc' torian, was merged IN more imports
on, character. He was now the patriar
had the founder Of sect, the chief Of CT
Ken spracy, the prince of wide intellect
'ers commonwealth. He often enjoyed
ace pleasure dear to the better part Of
y es nature, the pleasure Of vindicatins
nat nocence which had no other helper
'un' repairing cruel wrongs--of punish
OF. tyranny in high places. He had a
ions the satisfaction, not less acceptable
ca; ca, his ravenous vanity, Of hearing terri
lnli Capuchin call him the Anti.christ
y ol But whether employed in works Of
mare nevolence, or in works Of mischief,
ian, ian, never forgot Potsdam and frankie
sleu and he listened anxiously to ev
arKS murmur which indicated thet tenn
mea was gathering in Europe. and that
i,tty vengeance was at hand.--[ Thomas
Macaulay.
req. THE WIFE OF AUDUBON.
M. A..l..Lnc n, rr;ad oorly into