Polynesian., 1858-05-08
The Liabilities of Genius.
BY QUICKSILVER. .

BY QUICKSILVER.
In the palmy days Of the French Academy a
great many of the savans of the time, snugly seat
ed by the freside at the house of NJ. Duclos, sec
retary to that institution, enthusiastic in ex-
pressing their admiration of the exalted encyclo-
paedian genius of Voltaire. A celebrated German
lawyer happened to be one of the party, who
though he gave his hearty concurrence to the just
ness of this eulogistic pean, yet entertained a
lurking qualm of conscience which escaped from
his crucible in strain somewhat similar to the
following Yes said he, " Voltare est vir
Umni modo doctus, wrapt eternally within the halo
of the most enchanting poetic imagery, pursuing
with the most unbiased integrity the cheerless
mazes of history, his knowledge of physics, the
general laws of creation, their afinities, approx
nations repulsiOns, attractions, combinations, di-
visions, etc., etc. Mathematics in all the rich
Iuxuriancy of their sublimity medicine through
all it's complicated amalgamatiOns, natural history
from the behemOth to the hippopOtamus, the boa
constructor to our common snake, from the soaring
flights of the ferociOus condor of the rock to the
humble twitterny Of the tiny wren criticism in all
its dignity and drudgery, cOmprehensibility and
pertinency, ALL all were within bis mighty grasp,
within the span of his incomprehensible compre-
hension but here must hold his lamentable
ignorance of jurisprudence deprives my tongue of
its willing huoyancy, and justice forbids the utter
ance of unmerited lIudation, for sooner does he
trench upon the luxurious fields of legislation, pO-
litical economy, administrative rights, political and
polemical arrangements. than his pen seems to be
come embarrassed in Daedalion labyrinth and an
nsuperable barrier seems to stop the current of his
ETHEREAL genius. Can it be possible that his ignUT
ance in these subjects could have so Indignantly
emblttered his invectives against GrOtius, Puff N
dorf and your own admirable MOntesquieu, who
were far more extensively conyersant Oh these sub
iects than he wasl However, this observation is
but as a speck on glorious lumlnary, pro nIhH,
or something infinitely below insi igmicancy, and
conclude that Voltaire is universal genius.
Next followed the opinion of u celebrated math-
ematclan. " Truly sIid he, - no subject, how
ever abstruse, however sublime, could escape the
all-grasping powers of NJ de Voltare's inteileetu-
ality. Generations yet unborn will refuse to give
their credence to the possibility of so many pro-
ductons issuing from the same pen pOsterity will
be impressed with the opinion that SO many of the
same name must have existed, and, to his glory be
it proclaimed the intellectual word shall have Its
Hercules as the fabulous world has. His grand
mistake was. and the only intellectual weakness
that ever rise in Judgment against him Will be,
that of ever having attempted to dabble in mathe
matics, for, entire nous, and | entreat you not to
give it publicity, he was a mere tyrO in geometry,
witness his elements of the Newtonian philosophy,
but, in defanae to all this, VOltaire is magnif-
cent fellow an effulgence without peer"
Another pundt belonging to the coterie, ply
sician in very high practice, added his sapient tes
timony to the unriyalled etherlaity of VOltaire.
- His bitterest foes, his most malignant enemies"
cried he, " shall never succeed in deprving him of
the unprecedented merit of universally of talent,
what a dignifed entity how luxuriantly he ele
yates you into all the regions of literary delights
[ am indebted to his writings for the happiest mo-
ments of my existence. After labors and tolls he
cheers he exhilarates he fscinates, he embellshes
every subject with grace, wit, and elegance. His
works en- rnasss form a complete encyclopedia
one defect, one only, | must acknowledge; viz,
his infelictous Ignorance OF the therapeutic art.
With this dignifed branch of science | am myself
30 perfectly acquainted, that of you, gentle
men, can doubt the correctness of my reluctant re-
mark With this solitary exception he is prOdigi-
Gus, inimitable," and he concluded by Aippantly
quoting from our own bard. Z" He was man
take him for all in all, shall not look upon his
like again."
An English historian who had hitherto main
taiued profound silence, took his turn. 81 feel
myself called upon" quoth he, +" to avOw my un-
biassed opinion in favor of Voltares very rich and
refined talents l will go further, and state that
England has not yet given birth to genius so
sublime and SO universal. Pope falls Immensely
short of his powers. All the merits of Swift,
Addison, 0tway and Bolingbroke, are within the
compass of this mighty man his name must have
been recorded, embalmed with all the witcheres of
poetry and prose- had it not been sullied with his
unfortunate attempt at history epigrams. person.
aties, caricatures, together with gross misstate-
ments of facts, disgrace his pages. We write
history after a different fashion. Our authors
never sacrifice stern truth for pretty sayings Vol
taire should never have launched his intellectual
bark on so dangerous an element The palm he !
deserves, the laurel be may justly claim, in every
other department. He has built his pyramids, he |
has erected his monuments, which the corroding |
tooth of time will never be able to destroy"
Another follower of Esculapius, who was held
in high professional estimation, exclaimed, - feel
ruly delighted to hear an Englishman do justice |
to Voltaire, in manner so highly honorable to our
natOn, but, sir" and directing his conversation to