118 VOLTAIRE. 



him a company, promoted him as an engineer, settled 

 a pension upon him, and afterwards made his fortune 

 in the Prussian army.* 



It would be gratifying could we assert with truth, 

 that the same love of liberty and justice marked every 

 part of his conduct during the latter years of his 

 illustrious life. One great exception is to be found in 

 the correspondence with Frederick and the Empress 

 Catherine of Russia, at the period of their execrable 

 partition of Poland in 1772. He treats that foul 

 crime not only with no reprobation, but even with 

 flattering approval; and, in one of his letters, he 

 describes the Empress's share in it as " noble and use- 

 ful, and consistent with strict justice/'-f 



We have examined the history of his two celebrated 

 quarrels, those with Frederick and Maupertuis ; and 

 have now contemplated his humane and charitable exer- 

 tion for the Galas, the Sirvens, and the La Barres : but 

 his other quarrel reflects less honour on him. His 

 behaviour towards Rousseau cannot be said to do much 

 credit either to his temper or his humanity. Rousseau, 

 younger by eighteen years than Voltaire, and dazzled 



* In addition to the other atrocities of this case, was the incom- 

 petency of the Abbeville tribunal. Of the three judges, one was 

 connected with the prosecutor ; another had quitted the profession 

 and become a dealer in cattle, had a sentence against him, and was 

 afterwards declared incapable of holding any office. 



t See his verses about kings dividing their cake (Cor. avec les Souv., 

 ii. 92), and his rejoicing in having lived to see " the great event" 

 (93). To Catherine he says, she has, by her " parti noble et utile, 

 rendu a chacun ce que chacun croit lui appartenir, en commencant 

 par elle-meme" (ib. ii. 618). Again he says, " Le dernier acte de 

 votre grande trag&iie parait bien beau." (ib. 627.) 



