80 VOLTAIRE. 



suspicion exists of a criminal intercourse, that the 

 slightest appearance of intimacy should be seen in public 

 between the parties. Voltaire's letters to all his corre- 

 spondents, in which he speaks of Emily to some, of 

 Madame la Marquise to others, of Chatelet-Newton 

 to others, giving her remembrances to them, and him- 

 self inviting them to the chateau, all seems wholly in- 

 consistent with the rules of social intercourse observed 

 by our neighbours, on the supposition of her having been 

 his mistress. Perhaps we may add to this the proof af- 

 forded by Frederick II. always acknowledging her, and 

 constantly sending his regards to her. It may be re- 

 collected that when the French king's mistress, Pom- 

 padour, ventured, with many apologies, to send him a 

 respectful, even humble message, his good brother of 

 Prussia shortly and drily said, " Je ne la connais pas."* 

 As soon as the King of Prussia learnt Madame du 

 Chatelet's death, he lost no time in desiring Voltaire 

 to come and live in Berlin, now that the only obstacle 

 to this plan was removed ; but at first he could not as 

 yet listen to any such proposition. In the course, 

 however, of the next six months he began to feel the 

 former thraldom of the French government and clergy ; 

 he was once more plagued with the slanders of the 

 press, which did not even spare Madame du Chatelet's 

 memory ; he formed to himself the picture of happi- 



* An expression which occurs in Voltaire's letter to Madame du 

 Deffand, announcing the Marchioness's death, seems strange. Though 

 it clearly proves nothing, yet it was an extraordinary thing to say 

 at such a moment. He asks to be allowed to weep with her for one 

 " qui avec ses faiblesses avait un ame respectable." (Cor. Gen., iii. 

 365.) In all probability this referred to her violent temper, of 

 which Madame du D. might have heard him complain, as he cer- 

 tainly suffered much under it. 



