Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-08-06
now GIBBON CONTRIVED TO SEE
VOLTAIRE.

From che narrations of The porter, Glib
bon discovered that Voltaire possessed a
pretty little English horse, Of which be
was extravagantly fond. No one was
permitted to share with himself the duty
oi tending his favorites; he groomed it;
he heaped its manger with the sweetest
hay; he. alone, gave it drink. which he
offered IN silver cup. which had been
made for the purpose and elaborately
chased by the silversmiths of Fernay, Ii
a sing lie person presumed to touch even
the hair OF the maue, tue philosopher OF
Fernay would ht SO enraged that ell his
household telt [he effects Of his anger COR
many days.
The horse. was. in fact. very beauti.
tuI creature, its coat brig ght and glossy as
velvet, its Intelligent and brilliant eye, its
slender legs! Who would not be \ouched
by the docility which it received the car.
resses OF its master. or followed him to re
ceive biscuit from his hand. Voltaire
being very fond Of his horse. wished 10 be
loved in return; hence his strict COM
mands that no one should touch or ap
proach the pretty animal. 1t was, no
doubt, very prudent orGer. but alas
VUltaire did not take into consideration
the gold of England.
They must. no doubt. have been very
grave considerations which could induce
the porter. already guilty of disobeyins
his masters orders. to infringe them a
second time; whatever they were success.
tul. Tue porter luusrned the horse from
the stable. and directed his steps TO the
broad alley III front Of the chateau. |;
WAS still e'.rly dawn: all the shutters of
the cha'eau were closed. AMI not a. soul
appeared to reveal the plot. Gibbon
hr~,ened To Conceal himself behind the
trunk Of large tree. The h"isn. exult-
ting in his freedom. and feeling the morn.
ing air give additional impetu, TO his
youn. and meItlesome spirit. careered
"l"n; the path. neighing and striking the
earth. and making the gravel Of the path
fly under his bounding teet.
In u moment a window 10 the chateau
opens with violence. The face Of Vol
taire APPEARED. the deep lines OF his coun
Venance rendered still more prominently
visible by the intensity Of his anger. In
phrases almost inarticulate from rage, he
sends all his servants to the devil and
swears to drive them from his house.
Aroused by his cries. they run 10 secure
the animal. but he fOrbids them to touch.
He leaves his room. enters the garden,
and follows the bounding steps of his
young favorite, calls him by name. and
endeaVors to lure him back to his stable
10 the meantime concealed by the tree,
Gibbon could at leasure scan the linea-
ments Of the great author, whoa he had
sn long desired TO know. What, then
was his aSIonishment to behold the au
thor of the Henriade, the imm Irtal tragic
poet, the prince of philosophy, en'eloped
in long dressing gown. with a large
ted by a nightcap, which Madame Denis
had decorated with broad. yellow rib
bon.
1t was thus that this great man appear
ed before Gibbou-his rival. his antagon
list: before the critic who had SO ruthlessly
tarnished his historic fame; who had not
even failed to scotf at his philosophy. -
But at that moment he thought not OF
philosophy. Of Gibbon. nor of his English
detractors. He thought only of his horse,
thus escaped from his guardianship. iu his
endeavors to recapture the play full animal
he thought all his glory was being com
promised. Soon, iu his pursuit, he was
directly opposite to the tree behind which
Grbbon was watching all his movements.
Then the English quits his concealment,
aud advancing toward Voltaire with that
GOODNESS for which his countrymen are so
remarkable. he announces himself. and
declares that he shall return to his couu
try happy, since he had been permitted
to see the greatest man Of his age.