history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第37节
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ill he never tire； then； of sending me his dirty linen to wash？' You obliging Maupertuis！〃
Rumor says； it was General Mannstein； once Aide…de…Camp in Russia； who had come to have his WORK ON RUSSIA revised （excellent Work； often quoted by us ＇Did get out at last；in England； through Lord Marischal and David Hume： see PREFACE to it （London； 1760）。＇）； when the unfortunate Royal Verses came。 Perhaps M。 de Voltaire did say it：why not； had it only been prudent？ He really likes those Verses much more than I； but knows well enough； SUB ROSA； what kind of Verses they are。 This also is a horrible suspicion； that the King should hear of this；as doubtless the King did； though without going delirious upon it at all。 ＇〃To Niece Denis；〃 dates as above （ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 408； lxxv。 17）。＇ Thank YOU； my Perpetual President； not the less！
OF MAUPERTUIS； IN SUCCESSIVE PHASES。 。。。 〃Maupertuis is not of very engaging ways； he takes my dimensions harshly with his quadrant： it is said there enters something of envy into his DATA。 。。。 A somewhat surly gentleman； not too sociable； and； truth to say； considerably sunk here ＇ASSEZ BAISSE； my D'Argental＇。
。。。 〃I endure Maupertuis； not having been able to soften him。 In all countries there are insociable fellows； with whom you are obliged to live； though it is difficult。 He has never forgiven me for〃omitting to cite him； &c。At Paris he had got the Academy of Sciences into trouble； and himself into general dislike （DETESTER）； then came this Berlin offer。 〃Old Fleuri； when Maupertuis called to take leave； repeated that verse of Virgil； NEC TIBI REGNANDI VENIAT TAM DIRA CUPIDO。 Fleuri might have whispered as much to himself： but he was a mild sovereign lord； and reigned in a gentle polite manner。 I swear to you； Maupertuis does not； in his shop ＇the Academy here＇where； God be thanked； I never go。
〃He has printed a little Pamphlet on Happiness （SUR LE BONHEUR）； it is very dry and miserable。 Reminds you of Advertisements for things lost；so poor a chance of finding them again。 Happiness is not what he gives to those who read him； to those who live with him； he is not himself happy； and would be sorry that others were ＇to Niece Denis this＇。
。。。 〃A very sweet life here； Madame ＇Madame d'Argental； an outside party＇： it would have been more so； if Maupertuis had liked。 The wish to please； is no part of his geometrical studies； the problem of being agreeable to live with； is not one he has solved。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 330； 504 （4th May； 1751； and 14th March； 1752）； to the D'Argentals； to Niece Denis （6th November； 1750； and 24th August； 1751）； lxxiv。 250； 385。＇Add this Anecdote； which is probably D'Arget's； and worth credit： 〃Voltaire had dinner…party； Maupertuis one of them； party still in the drawing…room； dinner just coming up。 'President； your Book； SUR LE BONHEUR； has given me pleasure；' said Voltaire； politely ＇very politely； considering what we have just read＇； given me pleasure； a few obscurities excepted； of which we will talk together some evening。' 'Obscurities？' said Maupertuis； in a gloomy arbitrary tone： 'There may be such for you； Monsieur！' Voltaire laid his hand on the President's shoulder ＇yellow wig near by＇； looked at him in silence； with many…twinkling glance； gayety the topmost expression； but by no means the sole one： 'President； I esteem you； JE VOUS ESTIME； MON PRESIDENT： you are brave； you want war： we will have it。 But； in the mean while； let us eat the King's roast meat。'〃 ＇Duvernet （2d FORM of him； always； p。 176。＇
Friedrich's Answers to these Voltaire Letters； if he wrote any； are all gone。 Probably he answered almost nothing； what we have of his relates always to specific business； receipt of LOUIS QUATORZE； and the like； and is always in friendly tone。 Handsomely keeping Silence for Two！ Here is a snatch from him； on neutral figures and movements of the time：
FRIEDRICH TO WIILHELMINA （November 17th； 1751）。〃I think the Margraf of Anspach will not have stayed long with you。 He is not made to taste the sweets of society： his passion for hunting； and the tippling life he leads this long time； throw him out when he comes among reasonable persons。 。。。 〃I expect my Sister of Brunswick； with the Duke and their eldest Girl； the 4th of next month；〃to Carnival here。 〃It is seven years since the Queen （our Mamma） has seen her。 She holds a small Board of Wit at Brunswick； of which your Doctor ＇Doctor Superville； Dutch…French； whose perennial merit now is； That he did not burn Wilhelmina's MEMOIRS； but left them safe to posterity； for long centuries＇；of which your Doctor is the director and oracle。 You would burst outright into laughing when she speaks of those matters。 Her natural vivacity and haste has not left her time to get to the bottom of anything； she skips continually from one subject to the other； and gives twenty decisions in a minute。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxvii。 i。 202：On Superville； see Preuss's Note； ib。 56。＇
About a month before Rothenburg's death； which was so tragical to Friedrich； there had fallen out； with a hideous dash of farce in it； the death of La Mettrie。 Here are Two Accounts； by different hands；which represent to us an immensity of babble in the then Voltaire circle。
LA METTRIE DIES。Two Accounts： 1。 King Friedrich's： to Wilhelmina。 〃21st November； 1751。 。。。 We have lost poor La Mettrie。 He died for a piece of fun： ate； out of banter； a whole pheasant…pie； had a horrible indigestion； took it into his head to have blood let； and convince the German Doctors that bleeding was good in indigestion。 But it succeeded ill with him： he took a violent fever； which passed into putrid； and carried him off。 He is regretted by all that knew him。 He was gay； BON DIABLE； good Doctor； and very bad Author： by avoiding to read his Books； one could manage to be well content with himself。〃 ＇Ib。 xxvii。 i。 203。＇
2。 Voltaire's： to Niece Denis （NOT his first to her）： Potsdam； 24th December； 1751。 。。。 〃No end to my astonishment。 Milord Tyrconnel；〃 always ailing （died here himself）； 〃sends to ask La Mettrie to come and see him； to cure him or amuse him。 The King grudges to part with his Reader； who makes him laugh。 La Mettrie sets out； arrives at his Patient's just when Madame Tyrconnel is sitting down to table： he eats and drinks； talks and laughs more than all the guests； when he has got crammed （EN A JUSQU'AU MENTON）； they bring him a pie； of eagle disguised as pheasant； which had arrived from the North； plenty of bad lard； pork…hash and ginger in it； my gentleman eats the whole pie； and dies next day at Lord Tyrconnel's； assisted by two Doctors；〃 Cothenius and Lieberkuhn； 〃whom he used to mock at。 。。。 How I should have liked to ask him； at the article of death； about that Orange…skin！〃 ＇ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 439； 450。＇
Add this trait too； from authentic Nicolai； to complete the matter： 〃An Irish Priest； Father Macmahon； Tyrconnel's Chaplain ＇more power to him＇； wanted to convert La Mettrie： he pushed into the sick… room；encouraged by some who wished to make La Mettrie contemptible to Friedrich ＇the charitable souls＇。 La Mettrie would have nothing to do with this Priest and his talk； who； however； still sat and waited。 La Mettrie； in a twinge of agony； cried out； 'JESUS MARIE！' 'AH； VOUS VOILA ENFIN RETOURNE A CES NOMS CONSOLATEURS！' exclaimed the Irishman。 To which La Mettrie answered （in polite language； to the effect）； 'Bother you！' and expired a few minutes after。〃 ＇Nicolai； Anekdoten； i。 20 n。＇
Enough of this poor madcap。 Friedrich's ELOGE of him； read to the Academy some time after； it was generally thought （and with great justice）； might as well have been spared。 The Piece has nothing noisy； nothing untrue； but what has it of importance？ And surely the subject was questionable； or more。 La Mettrie might have done without Eulogy from a King of men。
。。。 〃He had been used to put himself at once on the most familiar footing with the King ＇says Thiebault； UNbelievable＇。 Entered the King's apartment as he would that of a friend； plunged down whenever he liked； which was often； and lay upon the sofas； if it was warm； took off his stock； unbuttoned his waistcoat； flung his periwig on the floor；〃 ＇Thiebault； v。 405 （calls him 〃La Metherie；〃 knows； as usual； nothing）。＇highly probable； thinks stupid Thiebault！
〃The truth is；〃 says Nicolai； 〃the King put no real value on La Mettrie。 He considered him as a merry…andrew fellow； who might amuse you； when half seas…over （ENTRE DEUX VINS）。 De la Mettrie showed himself unworthy of any favor he had。 Not only did he babble； and repeat about Town what he heard at the King's table； but he told everything in a false way； and with malicious twists and additions。 This he especially did at Lord Tyrconnel； the then French Ambassador's table； where at last he died。〃 ＇Nicolai； Anekdoten； i。 20。＇ But could not take the ORANGE…SKIN along with him； alas； no！
On the whole； be not too severe on poor Voltaire！ He is very fidgety； noisy； something of a pickthank； of a wheedler； but； above all； he is scorbutic； dyspeptic； hag…ridden； as soul seldom was； and （in his oblique way） APPEALS
