1807.} 
pofes that the philofophy of Newton is 
within the comprehention of every one. 
I am of opinion, that whoever has gone 
through a tolerable courfe of tiudy, and 
who has been accuftomed to reflect a 
little, may eafily underftand my book; 
but if it is fuppofed to be a book which 
any one may take up and read betwixt 
the opera and fupper-time, it is a grofs 
miftake. It is a book which mutt be 
ftudied. 
My friends, it has long been the prac- 
tice to charge me with things to. which [ 
have been a perfect ftranger. I could 
never learn precifely who the Sofia 
was who difgrated me in verfe, whilft [ 
was vexed and tormented in profe on 
account of my Newton’s Elements: but 
! bave no doubt it is the fame Sofia who 
was the author of that tedious and un- 
equal epiltle to Rouffeau. I knew who 
that was, and I was aequainted with his 
tricks, He hated Roufieau and Desfon- 
taines, but he withed to make a cat’s 
paw of me, I never granted lus pardon 
for futlering me to be fufpected of hav- 
ing written that wretched- epittle; he 
might have peaceably enjoyed his tem- 
porary fuecefs, and have eftablifhed his 
reputation by means of his cunning, but 
he ought not to have laid his bantling at 
my door. My dear friends, this world 
is full of perplexity ; it envies the tran- 
quillity of men of retirement; the peace 
which they enjoy is matter of jealoufy 
for the generality of mankind, and I 
have never lefs regretted Paris than I do 
at this moment. ‘ 
Friend—Your Newton’s Elements, 
notwithitanding all the malicious tricks 
that were played you, were exceedingly 
well received, # 
«Volt-—Doubtlefs ; but their great po- 
pularity was areal injury to me. The 
quack title, which fome ignorant book- 
fellers gave the work, was a matter that 
gave me the leaft difquietude. f 
Mad. Denys—Was not that title, 
Klemens de Newton, mis ad la pertée de 
tout le monde, par M. de Voltaire ? 
Volt.—It was. I begged of my friends 
to undeceive all thofe who could fuppote 
me capable of placing fuch a ridiculous 
title to the book. I am perfuaded this 
work may have its ufe; and I fhall ef 
teem it a happinels if | teach the human 
-underitanding to itammer forth thofe 
truths, which Maupertuis has-taught the 
learned to {peak eloquently. He is the 
preceptor of men, [ have undertaken 
the inftruétion of children only. Alga- 
rotti had the fair fex for his pupils; but 
Montury Mas., No. 156, 
Voliuire’s Literary Confeffions. 3 
a 
7 
Or 
not Madame du Chatelet, who knew at 
leaft as much of the matter as he did, 
and who corrected many things in his 
book. Iam unwilling to dwell upon the: 
fubjeét of felfpraife, but I will maintain: 
that, with a little application, any good , 
underftanding may comprehend thefe 
elements. The errors which have crept 
into the work-oeught not to be imputed 
to me; the edition is very fine, but*t 
prefer a fingle truth to a hundred head 
and tail pieces. 
My friends, you all know my turn of 
mind; you know how much I am aat- 
tached to truth; [have fometimes ftretch- 
ed virtue to the length of imprudence, 
and yet, by an inconceivable fatality, L 
have met with a great deal of ill ufage. 
I have been the reputed author of epii- 
tles, which I certainly never wrote; and 
that in the verfes which are faid to be 
the compofition of the daughter of a 
minifter of ftate. It drove me into de~ 
fpair; I had a thoufand obligations to 
the minifter; I hada friendthip of five 
and twenty years {ftanding with the mo- 
ther of this young lady, againft whom 
this wicked charge has been brought : 
her hufband, whofe lofs I ftill lament, 
diedin my arms. Through what irenzy, 
by what folly could I have given her of- 
fence? upon what ground has this unjatt 
imputation been laid? did fhe ever write 
two lines againft any perfon whatever? 
If innocence is to be thus injurioufly 
attacked, we muft renounce verle, profe, 
and even life itfelf. 
Mad. Denys.—You ought to think no 
more of fuch calumnies, you have been 
fully revenged. : 
Volt.—I comforted myfelf under this 
misfortune, by working at a corrected 
edition of Newton’s Elements, which is 
neither intended for the ule of ladies, 
nor of the public in general. It is not 
a book fo be turned over like a catalogue 
of new publications: itis a book to be 
well contidered, and which Desfontaines 
can no more be a judge of than he can 
of a manly action, I have juft received 
Algarotti, and have had him unpacked. 
He is engraved in the front of his book 
with Madame du Chatelet: fhe is there 
the real marchionefs; Italy could not 
have produced one more capable than 
fhe was to give him advice. The little 
that I have curforily read of his book*, 
confirm 
* It is intitled, ‘¢ Necutonianifmo per le 
Dame; and wae tranflated, in 1739, by 
Mifs Elizabeth Carter, under the title of 
§* Sir Ifiac Newton’s Philofophy explained 
Zz for 
