Voltaire in Love by Nancy Mitford

Author:Nancy Mitford [Mitford, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Literary Criticism, History, Social Science, Biography & Autobiography, Europe, European, Modern, Literary, Women, Philosophers, Science & Technology, Women's Studies, France, 18th Century, French
ISBN: 9781590175781
Publisher: New York Review of Books
Published: 2012-11-06T06:55:09+00:00

Déjà j’entends l’orage du tambour,

De cent heros je vois briller la rage,

Déjà je vois envahir cent états

Et tant d’humains moissonnés avant l’âge.

This may not have been very elegant but was perfectly clear.

Fleury wrote to Voltaire, who was still at The Hague. He knows Voltaire through and through, a good, honest man. But he was once young and has been too long in growing up. When young he kept what mistaken people called good company, that of the greatest in the land. These high and mighty lords had spoilt Voltaire, they praised him and were right to do so, but they gave way to him in everything and went too far. Now Voltaire himself has become aware of all this and in his letter to the Cardinal, which has given great pleasure, he speaks respectfully of religion. A civilized man owes two main duties – to his King and to his creator – even barbarians know that. It is time that Voltaire should return to his native land with these thoughts in mind. His talents do honour to his country, now he should put them to a patriotic use which will bring him lasting fame.

This letter expressed, with affectionate moderation, the official view of Voltaire. He was an enfant terrible, and it was time he grew up. The clever old priest was now going to give him a chance of serving his country instead of sitting on its frontiers flouting and annoying the authorities. He told him to go to Berlin and see what Frederick intended to do in the new international situation. Fleury himself, old (he was eighty-seven), wise, and ruler of a land that had all the territory it wanted, was in favour of the status quo, but if others were going to snatch and grab he might have to reconsider his position. Why had Frederick suddenly sent troops to Silesia? Fleury waded through the Anti-Machiavel and found no answer there. He now had two official envoys in Berlin, Valory and the Marquis de Beauvau; they were both at sea. Perhaps Frederick would open his heart to his great new friend.

Pleased as Punch, without having seen Émilie between the two visits, Voltaire started off for Berlin. There were one or two little matters he wanted to settle on his own account, apart from his important mission. Frederick must be made to pay Voltaire’s out-of-pocket expenses for the Anti-Machiavel, he must also pay Thieriot for his news-letter and the books and pamphlets he had been sending Frederick, for four years now, from Paris. Voltaire was accompanied on his journey by one Dumolard, an orientalist, protégé of Thieriot, who was to take up the post of librarian to the King.

The second meeting of Voltaire and Frederick was not such an enchantment as the first. Frederick complained of Voltaire's bill on which he had put, as well as everything else, his accounts for the journey to Berlin. ‘As Court Jesters go, this one is expensive.’ All through their long friendship Frederick accused him of being a miser.

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