460 
Volt. —That, my friend, is artifice. 
There is nothing more ealy than to de- 
elare every thing, but we ought not to 
do every thing that is eafy. “But let us 
proceed with, the letters, which it is 
recommended to me to write, for I am 
willing to write them. I will fend for 
my fecretary this inftant, and dictate 
each of them. Let us begin with 
“M. Freron. 
Sir, Tam in a dying ftate, and I have 
been ordered to write to you as I now 
do. They fay, you have caufe of com- 
plaint againft me: I know of none. 
‘They jay again, I have reafon to com- 
plain of you: do not believe a word 
of it. Forget the injuries I have done 
ou, and I will buy your Journal. Do 
not print this letter*in it. Pardon the 
fhortnefs of this epistle, for Lam flraiten- - 
ed for time ; and you know what it is to 
write in a hurry. 
To M. Lefranc. 
Sir, Let us be no longer enemies, and 
make ourfelves laughing-fiocks. Alas ! 
we fhould not have been fo, if you had 
never been admitted. a member of the 
French Academy. I am given to under- 
- fiand, that you are employed about a 
poetical tranflation of Virgil’s Georgics, 
But tell me, Sir, with all that genius 
which it muft be owned you are poflefied 
of, why you have always been a tran- 
lator only? 
| To M. Greffet. 
Sir, In fpite of all I could do, I have 
ever honoured your virtues. I could 
only have wifhed you had been fomewhat 
Jefs admired, and fomewhat lefS at your 
eafe. Continue to be both happy and 
admired, retain the refpect and friend- 
Ahip of all good men; impart your fecret 
to all authors, and efpecially to that 
worthy good man Fréron, for he has a 
great many enemies. 
To M. Chaumeiz. 
Sir, I am at a lofs to thank you for 
your civilities. I have not yet feen the 
work you have written in my favour: 
fend it me, if you pleafe; and let me 
know the price of the book. 
To M.. Trublet. 
Sir, You ean pafte paper over the of- 
fenfive paffages in the Poor Devil. I 
have juft finifhed reading your laft work : 
you are to blame to fay fo much againft 
poets; for, have a care, Sir, it is not 
paying a proper refpeét to the afhes of 
M. de la Motte. % 
To M. La Beaumeile. 
Sir, It was with great difficulty that I 
was able to ftifle my refentment . against 
Literary Confessions of Voltaire. ~ 
got rid of it at this mement. 
[June l, 
you. I cannot fay I have entirely 
The re- 
collection of your former wicked devices 
made me—but I ought to look over it, 
and forgive you. You were very young 
at the time; Maupertuis was your ad- 
vifer, and you wifhed to obtain a name 
by a quarrel with a man of celebrity. 
We were of different religions, too ; and 
you hated me, perhaps, becaufe I was a 
papilt. Let us from henceforti: be re- 
conciled: do you feek for falvation -in 
your faith, as ‘I will in mine; ; and let us 
meet good friends im the other world, 
I am tired of letter-writing, it fatigues 
me. 
Mad. Denys.—I am furprifed, uncle, 
that you have dictated no letter for the 
Fathers Hayer and Berthier. 
Volt. —QOh! I am fure they will for 
give me,’ without my writing to them for 
the purpofe. You ought to be well fa- 
tisfied with me, my friends: In truth, I 
have found no great difficulty in what J 
have been doing: there is nothing fa 
eafy as doing a good action. 
A Friend—And you have done many 
in the courfe of your life. 
Volt.—Indeed, I have; churches I 
have rebuilt, Janfenifts [have burlefqued, 
I have refined religion, wrote verfes to 
the Pope, .and collected alms for many 
poor poets. I have given France an 
epic poem; I have remonftrated againit 
abufes, and fome I have removed—as, 
for example, the fiage-benches in our 
theatres. 
I educate, at my own expence, the 
erand-niece of the celebrated Corneille, 
and do not make a ‘boaft of this act. of 
generofity. 1 have acquired wealth, I 
have enjoyed affluence, and led a life of 
pleaftire. Ihave made myfelf glorious ; 
and I fhall write to the laft moment of 
my exiftence.—But it is high time to 
clofe my confeffions, for to “be tedious 
is to commit a fin. © 
This converfation held fo long, that 
_M. de Voltaire was exceedingly indit- 
pofed after it; infomuch, that he ap- 
peared to have loft his "{peech. His 
friends got round: him,*and fhewed him 
every mark of refpeét and attention ; 
but they were not able to induce hint to 
open his mouth. It was in vain that 
they reprefented the neceffity of his de- 
livering fomething memorable in’ his. Jatt 
moments, by way of dying words, after 
the example of other great philofophers: 
he ftill continued obftinately filent. - 
At length one of thé company be- 
thought himfelf of the fallowing expe: 
dient ; 
