Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-15

attitudes and costumes, but always the
same cy nical, self-pleased face
The grounds in which the house stands
are most lovely, commanding delightful
view, with fountains making murmmous
music and great old trees overs hadowing
tempting seats. Going indoors you are
shown Voltaire' sitting-room and his bed
chamber, and they are full OF memsntoes of
himself in the salon is the mausoleum which
was constructed to hold his heart and bears
the inscription: His spirit is every where,
but his heart is here This record is no
longer true, however. since his heart has
been carried away and placed in the Blblio-
theque Rationale in Paris.
The chair covers IN the salon were en-
broidered by Voltaire's nieces. On the table
is his inkstand, in which you dip your pen
to record your name in the visitors book.
Paintings by Titan, Boucher and Vatican,
of the philosophers own choosing, are on
the walls of the salon, and pictures of more
personal interest are in the ad joining bed
cham Der Here is the stiff little bed where
the willy Frenchman used to sleep, and on
the walls of this bed chamber hang the
portraits Of those whom no most loved or
most honored
l was especially interested in that OF Mad
anne du ChAtelet, who loved him, not
wisely indeed, but so long and well that one
is moved to forgive her TN wisdom. Ali
how fair she is, in her blue velvet robe,
with the soft laces around her soft neck,
with her powdered hair framing her charm
ing face, holding in her hand mystic rose
of silence, looking forever toward the bed
where her lover dreamed and died, and
smiling a strange, inscrutable smile which
lights her lovely eyes and curves her fresh
and tender lips
Here, too, hangs the grand, full-length
portrait of Catherine the Great of Russia,
presented by herself to Voltaire; and near
by his portrait embroidered by her i'm
perial hands. What a woman she was
Looking on this picture you cannot help be-
lieving her capable of all the cruel wicket
ness which history ascribes to her-and yet
she has stately presence. A royal devil
She!
Near a fine portrait of Frederick the
Great hangs a charming picture Of Vol
taire's pretty little washerwoman. Can
she, possibly, have been the rival of Nine.
du ChAteletl One never knows of what a
man, and Frenchman, may not have been
capable.
Besides these portraits Of especial and
personal interest the remaining space is
covered by Hkenosses chiefly engravings
Of the men whom Voltaire delg hted to
honor-Miton, Helvetius Franklin, Wash
ington and many another; so that the old
Frenchman and his weethearts are in good
company
Coppet is another pleasant excursion
from Geneva-Coppet, where for some
time Nine de Stael resided; and it was not
far away from Geneva, that quiet no me
where the fat historian Gibbon went WOO
ing Nine de Staels mother, Suzanne
Cwchod. There is a funny story about
Gibbons thinking it the proper thing to
kneel before this Lady, and once having got
upon his knees being too fat to get up again
without assistance
There are plenty of distinguished dead
people in Geneva. In the same church
yard with Calvin lies Sir Humphrey Davy;
and all about the town there is an odor of
dead eminenco. For my part these mem
cries of the past are the most interesting
associ atoms with the spot They fifty
haunt its beautiful streets and suburbs, and
like we'll that place where l move in the
good society of gentle ghosts.
LOUISE CHANDLER MoULToN.