1807.) 
from the boxes, and addreffing the au- 
dience. I waved my hand to obtain 
filence, but the clamour ay continued. 
At lenoth the author of Gidipus was re- 
covnized, and filence was obtained. I 
reprefented the claim to fome indul- 
gence, which a new piece and a young 
author had aright to make; and, with- 
out difcoveriny any marks of refentmens, 
I offered fuch other arguments in my 
favour as occurred to me. In fhort, I 
obtained applaufe by my fpeech, and my 
piece was fuffered to be reprefented 
without further mterruption : but I with- 
drew-my tragedy in difguft. I have been 
always furprifed that it did not fucceed 
better on the ftage, for it is a good piece. 
The critics allow the plot to be well con- 
ducted, and the catattrophe, or conclu- 
fion, to be very natural. It.is true they 
found fanlt with the verfification, as being 
too much of the epic kind; but on my 
word, as well asI can judge at this dif- 
tance of time, I think it before my 
Tancred. 
To drive away all thoughts of this 
mortifieation, I made a Journey to Hol- 
land, There, by way of relaxation, I 
paid my ad ldreffes to one of the daugh- 
ters of the 
inet with obftacles [ was not able to fur- 
mnount; and came off with little credit. 
Between ourfelves, my friends, I was 
never able to play the part of a lover— 
glory was my miftrefs, Avreeable to the 
refulution I had formed of pafling on 
and making fome ftay . at Braffels, I re- 
paired to that city. There I joined my- 
felf to Roufleau*, whom I had wifhed to 
fee for a long time. Though he had 
been banifhed upwards of tea years, I 
conidered him only as a great poet, and 
the man of misfortune. So great was 
my contidence in him, that I left my 
poem of the ileuriad im his poffetiion for 
five days. During one of our walks, he 
read me his Ode to Potterity, and the’ 
Judgment of Pluto. This laft was a vi- 
rulent fatire avainit the parliament of 
Paris: he ipa my opinion of it. “ This 
is not our matter’s, the good and great 
Rofiean,” faid TY. The felflove cf the 
old maker of verfes was offended with 
my treedom. ‘* Mafter of mine,” con- 
‘tinued L. *Stake your revenge: Bere 4 is a 
little poem which I fubmit to the cor- 
Ee ciioks and judgement of the father of 
: 
* This is not Jean Jaques Roufféau, the 
celebrated citigen of Geneva}; but.a French- 
man, who is diXinguifhed by the name of the 
Post Roufleay.x-Tran/later, 
Voltaire’s Literary Confefions. 
famous Madame Dunoyer. ° I. 
25k 
Numa.” I began to read, and Rouffeaa 
interrupted me with, * Hold, Sir, read 
no further ; this impicty 13 rocking.” i 
put the poem again. into ny Bae ie) and 
faid, “¢ Come, let us go to the play; Lam 
forry the author of the Moifade has not 
yet informed the public that he was 
grown devout.” When the comedy was 
over, I refumed the fubject of his Ode 
to Pofterity, and told him in a farcaftic 
way, * Do you know, matter, that I 
think your ede will never reach thofe you 
defen it for.” 
Mad. Denys—Thus, my dear uncle, 
an uiterview of friendfhip and confidence 
was clofed by an open rupture. 
Volt.—I grant it, niece; but the fault 
as not mine, and I leave you all te 
sade whether it was {o-or not. 
Friend.—Will you give me leave to 
tell you my thoughts of the matter? Ef 
am of opinion that Rouffeau had fer a 
ieee time before harboured a fecret jea- 
louly of you, and I believe the fuccefs of 
your Mariamne was the real caule of his 
animolity. Rouffleau had compofed ‘a 
Mariamue, after an old piéce of Triflan: 
was very defervedly hiffed, and your 
tragedy was reprefented forty tne: 
foli—The mifchief had an earlier 
ie than that yocumention. About the end 
of the year 1711, as we ell as I can re- 
collect, Saurin, whom Rouffeau acculed 
of being the author of the famous Coup- 
lets, was cleared by the fentence of the 
Chatelet, aud was allowed to proceed 
criminally again{t the Sieur Rouffeau and 
his witueffes. A female fervant in’ my 
father’s houfe was interefted in the caufe. 
She was, in fact, the mother of that’ 
peor wretch, a journeyman fhoemaker 
whofe evidence Rouffeau fuborned. This 
woman, fuppofing her fan would be 
hanged for perjury, was conftantly mak~ 
ing her lamentations and complay nts tall 
fhe exhaufied our patience...“ Comiort 
yourfelf, good woman,” faid I to her; 
“¢ you have nothing to fear : Roulleau, a 
fhoemaker’s fon, fuborns your fon, a 
cobler, who you fay is the accomplice ore 
fhoeblack ; Ww ee eek ion. goes te he tried - 
for the perjury, throw aa old thoe after. 
him for luek, and all will ga well.” This 
pleafantry was repeated inthe neighbour- 
hy oed, and told by one goody goilip to 
till it reached the ears of Rout. 
feau himéelf, who never forgave me for 
it. But what excited his refentment 
full more was, that I. endeavoured to 
convice him of the impolicy of his alle- 
another, 
gorical poem, which he had written, 
called the Judgment of Pluto, I told 
: him 
