, 1874-03-29
vOLTAlRE.---lf.


OF CHICAGO.
Ii the conclusion Of our former article On vol
+a;ra va suggested some reasons for an aoate-
nant of the severity with which this great writer
il ant 70 be regarded by the Christian world
.rbe sentiments of indignation, and even horror,
With which he WIS viewed till a recent PERIOD, |
were never, perhaps, more powerfully expressed
+nsn by the great Catholic writer, Count Joseph |
IA sraistre. IN his Soirees de Sa,nt-P Petersburg:
one of the most brilliant and masterly theological
vo-ks of this century. De Maistre was native
of Savoy, and for fifteen years WAS Envoy tx
t-aordiunry aud Minister PlenipotentlarV from
Sardinia to Russia It was while thus e1ued
from his country that he wrote hls principal
works works which, though masterpieces u
thought and STYLE, and intensely interesting 10
e7ety scholar aud thinker, are known, ne 1ear,
70 comparatiyely few American readers. In sue
hone of piQuiug the curiosity Of Bome VINO naVe
not made his acquaintance. and inducing tnen
to brush the dust from his tones, aud as coun-
tarpoise to our " Broad Church views OF VOL"
1a;re. 80 have translated from the Sources she
rassspe aboye referred to. We doubt II more
brilliant OF gcathing denunciation can be fonno
in the entire compass Of modern French ntera-
ture.
II ia somegha. remarkable fact that Oe
n!aist1e has been passionately admired as
writer by representative thinkers VINO nave
stood almost in polar antithesls to eaen otnet'
M Comte the Positivist, speaks OF him as tne
most eminent thinker Of the Catholic schoo4
declares that ss Do Maistre has for me the pecu-
1iar property Of helping me- to estlmae tno
nh;1nsonbic capacity Of people, by the repute III
which they hold him. and adds, that among
hia other reasons, ct certain time, for thinning
veil of Guizot, was that, notwithstanding bis
traneceadeut Professionalism he complied with
the test of appreciating De Maiatre." Arch
de.con Hare speaks OF the Soirees as - one OF
the visest and most delightful works OF recent
times which though its author is sometimes
oyerfanciful, and not ae'dom 4ed ast1ay
hv his Romieh prejudices is full OF high and ho-
II thouehss on the loftiest subjects OF specula-
tinn.n Mr, Fitz-James Stephen, the acute and
sble author of Equality. fraternity, and De-
7nocracy," prououuces the Sol1ees "one OF the
hve,ioet and most interesting OF books g.; the VI
yacitv Of the style. and the originality, lngeno1-
ty. and fer=or of the thought, give it charm
very like that which belongs to Pascal's Let
tera." sainte-Beuve the great French Critic
hss written three elaborate c7ztiques on De mals.
TIE. aid quotes and refers to him again anu
aeain in a manner that shows the great Catholic
doematist and champion Of Popery and the In
auisition to have been held By him, II spite o.
lis Ultramontaniem, in peculiar admlrhuon ane
reverence ..
Bnt to the tranalaiion. Replying to those Wit
urge that VoItaire, however ho may shock US o.
his doctrines of life, must be acknowledged
La7s been a beau genie,
DE MA1sTRE sATs:
"Call him fine genius to your hearts content
It will be no less true that, in extollng so1taAe
oue must do it with certain restralnt,-A ha<
almost said, against ones will. The frenze
admi1atiou which too many persons lavish opo'
him is the iutallible sign Of corrupt sonL Le
no one delude himself: II, in running over NJ
library, any man feels himself attracted to III
Rorks Of Fs7.reu, God does not love him. Otte
men haze mocked at the ecclesiast1c autnofat
which has condemned books in odiu1'a ductoTas
IN truth, nothing was more just. ReJnse u
honors Of genius to him 11ho abuses its g1Jc
We're this law severely observed, ne should 500
see al poisonous works disappear; but, SINCE
il not for us to p1omalgate it, let us at leaS
guard ourselves from falling into the e1ces
much more reprehensb1e than ia commonly SUI
posed, ef exaltinc without measure guilty Ut
fars and him especially.
"UnwttiDgly he has pronounced agalnse LIZ
self terrible decree, for it IL soltalfe ni'use
rho has said. 4 corrupt spirit tcds aeoer suo'an'
Nothing is more true, and that is Why 'ol'alh
with his hundred volumes. Was never more LUZ
pretty: except Tragedy, where the nasoro
the work forced him to express noDle sen'
ments, foreign to his character; and yet' eV.
upon tte stage, the scene Of his t1umpns'
does not deceive rracticed eyes, In ms pe &c
pieces he resembles his two great TWAS 80, u
eleverest hypocrite resembles saint. SeVe
theless, do not mean to contest bis drama,
neri: only hold to my first observation T.
moment that Yoltaire speaks in his own ma"
re ia but pretty nothing can VAIN htms
eEen the battle Of Fontenoy.
lie is charming. says one: I Say 80, too
understand that very word to be cf1t'cls
furthermore, cannot endure the e1agserati'
that pronounces him unsrersal- Certainly
some fine exceptions to that universalt5. he
nothing in lyric poetry; and who can be astc
lshed q: it !? Deliberate lmpiety had e1hnsulf
Cd in him the Divine fame OF enthuslas
again he is nothing, and ridiculous1y so' IN
gnc drama,-his ear having been absolns
Glo7ed to harmonic beauties, as his eyes we're
thosa Of Art. In the kinds OF writing WIN
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