520 Mtmoirs of 



litcd manner, and found leisure to show 

 tliat lie was no tyro in tlie poetical and 

 iitlicr walks of litcralure. He obtained, 

 j)retty resinlarly every year, prizes froni 

 the Academy of Floralia at Toulouse. 

 At the last competition, he gained the 

 three principal prizes atone time. The 

 cardinal, who was neither severe to him- 

 self, nor regular in his manners, at the 

 instigations of a pedant, nai.-.ed Goutle- 

 longe, pnimoteiir in tlie college, was 

 irritaied at the literary success of Mar- 

 montel, and made a crime of its ten- 

 dency, as mischievous. 'J'his, with a 

 note which he received attliattime from 

 Voltaire, cooled his religious zeal, and 

 Ihey operated as monitors to deter him 

 from the ()at!i whicli his youthful mind 

 had hilherlo |)nrsned. 



Marmontcl had sent his first essays to 

 Voltaire, who received that ofTspring of 

 liis stripling meilitations with hish gra- 

 tification, Voltaire felt a generous re- 

 spect for young men of ingenuity and 

 fmcy ; and, in return, sent the author an 

 edition of his own works, corrected with 

 his own hand. Marmontel could not 

 deny himself the pleasure of showing 

 this rich treat about the town and col- 

 Jcges; and here commenced his acquain- 

 tance with that iilnstrions brotlier of 

 his own vocation, whicii lasted thirty- 

 live years, and was only interrupted by 

 dealh. 



Voltaire had often invited Lim to 

 Palis, and, towards the latter end of 

 ,1745, sent him a letter, purporting that 

 M. Orri, comptroller-general of the 

 finances, had undertaken to provide for 

 him. He repaired to Paris, and, visit- 

 ing Voltaire, found that his intended 

 patron had been dismissed from his 

 olTiec a few days before. " But (said 

 Voltaire to his protegee,) you shall be 

 welcome to my house and purse." 

 This was declined, with modesty and 

 sensibility ; and the young man felt it 

 necessary to plan a farther scene of 

 employment, but over directed by 

 Voltaire. 



Marnmntel had lost his father, who 

 left a numerous family in narrow cir- 

 cumstances, and his mother was lan- 

 gaishing inider a complaint, the efficts 

 of which were soon after fatal. 'I'he 

 mind of Marmontel had acquired right 

 tendencies, and his conduct accorded 

 with his sentiments. He had given a 

 most striking instance of his sensibility 

 when he promised his mother, to share 

 his slock of that good provision which 

 then appeared in view, with the whole 

 of her fatnilv. To this disinterested 



Marmontel. [July 1^ 



engagement he adhered with admirablft 

 and uncommon fidelity. His behaviour 

 to them alForded striking traits of a 

 paternal friendship and pious devoted- 

 ness, which marked the most ardent, the 

 most permanent, attachment. This 

 noble and generous sacrifice often cost 

 him dear , he had still to bear up under 

 the injuries of fortune. He lived re- 

 tired, in an humble dwelling, his only 

 society being a few young writers, who, 

 like himself, gifted with learning, taste, 

 and knowledge, were content to collect 

 the flowers of likralnrc, though often 

 wanilcring in paths strewed with thorns. 

 His first enterprise, with only one 

 coadjutor, was a literary journal; but, 

 as no quarrels were carried on in it, no 

 temporary triumphs over the disgraces 

 of others, no inveterate caballing to 

 degrade and harass the good journals 

 and other works of the day, though the 

 writing was agreeable, the success did 

 not exceed mediocrity. The two prizes 

 of poetry, which he received from the 

 French Academy, raised liim, however, 

 in public estimation, and contributed to 

 the means of his subsistence. 



Voltaire, with a sort of refined plea- 

 santry and neatness, contrived to admi- 

 nister in person a portion of that com- 

 passionate charity which seemed best 

 suited to the temper of the afflicted 

 man, Marmontel had a well-known 

 weakness in his character, that of beinjf 

 uniformly and invariably too indepen- 

 dent, Voltaire, in an excursion to I'on- 

 tainebleau, took w ith him the last of his 

 friend's poems that had been crowned, 

 and distributed copies of it among tho 

 courtiers. They let him set the valu» 

 of their benefits to the author; and 

 Voltaire, on his return, filled the poet's 

 liat with crowns. In vain did the latter 

 represent, that his little piece was greatly 

 overrated ; the marked distinction of 

 those from whom the boon was received, 

 was exhibited in colours so strong, that 

 there whs no refusing; the new and 

 cheering impression suddenly effacing 

 such as were less correct. 



The lively imagination of Voltaire 

 then presented to his friend's view an 

 object most likely to captivate his atten- 

 tion, — writing for the stage. No means, 

 at that time, liy those who possessed wit 

 and ingenuity, were more likely to pro- 

 cure gratifications of sufficient impor- 

 tance to satisfy a well-stored and culti- 

 vated mind. This advice was followed, 

 and in 1748 appeared She tragedy of 

 " Diottysius the Tyrant," at La Comedio 

 I'ran^oise, This piece at first had great 

 success. 



