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And then （a day or two after； King too haemorrhoidal to come twenty miles； but anxious to know）： 〃Sire； no doubt Doctor Joyous （LE MEDECIN JOYEUX） has informed your Majesty that when we arrived； the Patient was sleeping tranquil； and Cothenius assured us； in Latin； that there was no danger。 I know not what has passed since； but I am persuaded your Majesty approves my journey〃 （of a street or two）；MUST you speak of it； then！
GOES TO AN EVENING…PARTY NOW AND THEN （To Niece Denis）。 。。。 〃Madame Tyrconnel ＇French Excellency's Wife＇ has plenty of fine people at her house on an evening； perhaps too many〃 （one of the first houses in Berlin； this of my Lord Tyrcannel's； which we frequent a good deal）。 。。。 〃Madame got very well through her part of ANDROMAQUE ＇in those old play…acting times of ours＇： never saw actresses with finer eyes；〃how should you！
〃As to Milord Tyrconnel； he is an Anglais of dignity；〃Irish in reality； and a thought blusterous。 〃He has a condensed （SERRE） caustic way of talk； and I know not what of frank which one finds in the English； and does not usually find in persons of his trade。 French Tragedies played at Berlin； I myself taking part； an Englishman Envoy of France there： strange circumstances these； are n't they？〃 ＇To D'Argental this （ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 289）。＇ Yes； that latter especially； and Milord Marischal our Prussian Envoy with you！ Which the English note； sulkily； as a weather…symptom。
AT POTSDAM； BIG DEVILS OF GRENADIERS （No date）。 。。。 〃But； Sire； one is n't always perched on the summit of Parnassus； one is a man。 There are sicknesses about； I did not bring an athlete's health to these parts； and the scorbutic humor which is eating my life renders me truly； of all that are sick； the sickest。 I am absolutely alone from morning till night。 My one solace is the necessary pleasure of taking the air； I bethink me of walking； and clearing my head a little； in your Gardens at Potsdam。 I fancy it is a permitted thing； I present myself； musing；I find huge devils of Grenadiers； who clap bayonets in my belly； who cry FURT； SACRAMENT； and DER KONIG ＇OFF； SACKERMENT； THE KING； quite tolerably spelt＇！ And I take to my heels； as Austrians and Saxons would do before them。 Have you ever read； that in Titus's or Marcus…Aurelius's Gardens； a poor devil of a Gaulish Poet〃 In short； it shall be mended。 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 273。＇
HAVE BEEN LAYING IT ON TOO THICK （No date； IN VERSE）。 〃Marcus Aurelius was wont to〃（Well； we know who that is： What of Marcus； then？）〃A certain lover of his glory ＇STILL IN VERSE＇ spoke once； at Supper； of a magnanimity of Marcus's；at which Marcus ＇flattery too thick＇ rather gloomed； and sat quite silent； which was another fine saying of his ＇ENDS VERSE； STARTS PROSE＇：
〃Pardon； Sire； some hearts that are full of you！ To justify myself； I dare supplicate your Majesty to give one glance at this Letter （lines pencil…marked）； which has just come from M。 de Chauvelin； Nephew of the famous GARDE…DES…SCEAUX。 Your Majesty cannot gloom at him； writing these from the fulness of his heart； nor at me； who〃 Pooh； no； then！ Perhaps do you a NICHE again；poor restless fellow！ ＇Ib。 280。＇
POTSDAM PALACE （No date）： SIRE； NZAY I CHANGE MY ROOM？ 。。。 〃I ascend to your antechambers； to find some one by whom I may ask permission to speak with you。 I find nobody： I have to return：〃 and what I wanted was this； 〃your protection for my SIECLE DE LOUIS QUATORZE； which I am about to print in Berlin。〃 Surely；but also this：
〃I am unwell； I am a sick man born。 And withal I am obliged to work； almost as much as your Majesty。 I pass the whole day alone。 If you would permit that I might shift to the Apartment next the one I have；to that where General Bredow slept last winter； I should work more commodiously。 My Secretary （Collini） and I could work together there。 I should have a little more sun； which is a great point for me。Only the whim of a sick man； perhaps！ Well； even so； your Majesty will have pity on it。 You promised to make me happy。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 277。＇
I SUSPECT THAT I AM SUSPECTED （No date）。〃Sire； if I am not brief； forgive me。 Yesterday the faithful D'Arget told me with sorrow that in Paris people were talking of your Poem。〃 Horrible； but； O Sire； me？〃I showed him the eighteen Letters that I received yesterday。 They are from Cadiz；〃 all about Finance； no blabbing there！ 〃Permit me to send you now the last six from my Niece； numbered by her own hand ＇no forgery； no suppression＇； deign to cast your eyes on the places I have underlined； where she speaks of your Majesty； of D'Argens； of Potsdam； of D'Ammon〃 （to whom she can't be Phyllis； innocent being）！…MON CHER VOLTAIRE； must I again do some NICHE upon you； then？ Tie some tin…canister to your too… sensitive tail？ What an element you inhabit within that poor skin of yours！ ＇Ib。 269。＇
MAJESTY INVITES US TO A LITERARY CHRISTENING； POTSDAM （No date。 These 〃Six Twins〃 are the 〃ART DE LA GUERRE；〃 in Six Chants； part of that revised Edition which is getting printed 〃AU DONJON DU CHATEAU；〃 time must be； well on in 1751）。 Friedrich writes to Voltaire：
〃I have just been brought to bed of Six Twins； which require to be baptized； in the name of Apollo； in the waters of Hippocrene。 LA HENRIADE is requested to become godmother： you will have the goodness to bring her； this evening at five； to the Father's Apartment。 D'Arget LUCINA will be there； and the Imagination of MAN…A…MACHINE will hold the poor infants over the Font。〃 ＇Ib。 266。＇
DEIGN TO SAY IF I HAVE OFFENDED。 。。。 〃As they write to me from Paris that I am in disgrace with you； I dare to beg very earnestly that you will deign to say if I have displeased in anything！ May go wrong by ignorance or from over…zeal； but with my heart never！ I live in the profoundest retreat； giving to study my whole〃 〃Your assurances once vouchsafed ＇famous Document of August 23d＇。 I write only to my Niece。 I〃 （a page more of this）have my sorrows and merits； and absolutely no silence at all！ ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 289。＇ 〃In the gift of Speech he is the most brilliant of mankind；〃 said Smelfungus； but in the gift of Silence what a deficiency！ Friedrich will have to do that for Two； it would seem。
BERLIN； 28th DECEMBER； 1751： LOUIS QUATORZE； AND DEATH OF ROTHENBURG。〃Our LOUIS QUATORZE is out。 But； Heavens； see； your Majesty： a Pirate Printer； at Frankfurt…on…Oder； has been going on parallel with us； all the while； and here is his foul blotch of an Edition on sale； too！ Bielfeld；〃 fantastic fellow； 〃had proof… sheets； Bielfeld sent them to a Professor there； though I don't blame Bielfeld： result too evident。 Protect me； your Majesty； Order all wagons； especially wagons for Leipzig； to be stopped； to be searched； and the Books thrown out；it costs you but a word！〃
Quite a simple thing： 〃All Prussia to the rescue！〃 thinks an ardent Proprietor of these Proof…sheets。 But then； next day； hears that Rothenburg is dead。 That the silent Rothenburg lay dying； while the vocal Voltaire was writing these fooleries； to a King sunk in grief。 〃Repent； be sorry； be ashamed！〃 he says to himself； and does instantly try；but with little success； Frankfurt…on…Oder； with its Bielfeld proof…sheets； still jangling along； contemptibly audible； for some time。 ＇Ib。 285…287。＇ And afterwards； from Frankfurt…on…Mayn new sorrow rises on LOUIS QUATORZE； as will be seen。Friedrich's grief for Rothenburg was deep and severe； 〃he had visited him that last night；〃 say the Books； 〃and quitted his bedside； silent； and all in tears。〃 It is mainly what of Biography the silent Rothenburg now has。
From the current Narratives； as they are called； readers will recollect； out of this Voltaire Period； two small particles of Event amid such an ocean of noisy froth；two and hardly more： that of the 〃Orange…Skin；〃 and that of the 〃Dirty Linen。〃 Let us put these two on their basis； and pass on：
THE ORANGE…SKIN （Potsdam； 2d September； 1751； to Niece Denis）Good Heavens； MON ENFANT； what is this I hear （through the great Dionysius'…Ear I maintain； at such expense to myself）！ 。。。 〃La Mettrie； a man of no consequence； who talks familiarly with the King after their reading； and with me too； now and then： La Mettrie swore to me； that； speaking to the King； one of those days； of my supposed favor； and the bit of jealousy it excites； the King answered him： 〃I shall want him still about a year：you squeeze the orange； you throw away the skin （ON EN JETTE LECORCE）！'〃 Here is a pretty bit of babble （lie； most likely； and bit of mischievous fun） from Dr。 Joyous。 〃It cannot be true； No！ And yet and yet？〃 Words cannot express the agonizing doubts； the questionings； occasionally the horror of Voltaire： poor sick soul； keeping a Dionysius'…Ear to boot！ This blurt of La Mettrie's goes through him like a shot of electricity through an elderly sick Household…Cat； and he speaks of it again and ever again；though we will not farther。
DIRTY LINEN （Potsdam； 24th July； 1752； To Niece Denis）。 。。。 〃Maupertuis has discreetly set the rumor going； that I found the King's Works very bad； that I said to some one； on Verses from the King coming in； 'Will he never tire； then； of sending