History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [35]
to you from France; Russia outbidding France to have you;
and then that LETTER of Friedrich's, which is in all the
Newspapers: "Three Kings,"--you plainly great man, Trismegistus of
the Sciences called Pure! Madame honors you, has always done:
one word of apology to the high female mind, it will work wonders;
--come now! [Voltaire, OEuvres, lxxii. 217,
216, 230 (Hague, 21st July, 1740, and Brussels, 9th Aug. &c).]
No reader guesses in our time what a shining celestial body the
Maupertuis, who is now fallen so dim again, then was to mankind.
In cultivated French society there is no such lion as
M. Maupertuis since he returned from flattening the Earth in the
Arctic regions. "The Exact Sciences, what else is there to depend
on?" thinks French cultivated society: "and has not Monsieur done
a feat in that line?" Monsieur, with fine ex-military manners, has
a certain austere gravity, reticent loftiness and polite
dogmatism, which confirms that opinion. A studious ex-military
man,--was Captain of Dragoons once, but too fond of study,--who is
conscious to himself, or who would fain be conscious, that he is,
in all points, mathematical, moral and other, the man. A difficult
man to live with in society. Comes really near the limit of what
we call genius, of originality, poetic greatness in thinking;--but
never once can get fairly over said limit, though always
struggling dreadfully to do so. Think of it! A fatal kind of man;
especially if you have made a lion of him at any time. Of his
envies, deep-hidden splenetic discontents and rages, with
Voltaire's return for them, there will be enough to say in the
ulterior stages. He wears--at least ten years hence he openly
wears, though I hope it is not yet so flagrant--"a red wig with
yellow bottom (CRINIERE JAUNE);" and as Flattener of the Earth,
is, with his own flattish red countenance and impregnable stony
eyes, a man formidable to look upon, though intent to be amiable
if you do the proper homage. As to the quarrel with Madame take
this Note; which may prove illustrative of some things by
and by:--
Maupertuis is well known at Cirey; such a lion could not fail
there. All manner of Bernouillis, Clairauts, high mathematical
people, are frequent guests at Cirey: reverenced by Madame,--who
indeed has had her own private Professor of Mathematics; one Konig
from Switzerland (recommended by those Bernouillis), diligently
teaching her the Pure Sciences this good while back, not without
effect; and has only just parted with him, when she left on this
Brussels expedition. A BON GARCON, Voltaire says; though
otherwise, I think, a little noisy on occasion. There has been no
end of Madame's kindness to him, nay to his Brother and him,--sons
of a Theological Professorial Syriac-Hebrew kind of man at Berne,
who has too many sons;--and I grieve to report that this heedless
Konig has produced an explosion in Madame's feelings, such as
little beseemed him. On the road to Paris, namely, as we drove
hitherward to the Honsbruck Lawsuit by way of Paris, in Autumn
last, there had fallen out some dispute, about the monads, the VIS
VIVA, the infinitely little, between Madame and Konig; dispute
which rose CRESCENDO in disharmonious duet, and "ended," testifies
M. de Voltaire, "in a scene TRESDESAGREABLE." Madame, with an
effort, forgave the thoughtless fellow, who is still rather young,
and is without malice. But thoughtless Konig, strong in his
opinion about the infinitely little, appealed to Maupertuis:
"Am not I right, Monsieur?" "HE is right beyond question!" wrote
Maupertuis to Madame; "somewhat dryly," thinks Voltaire: and the
result is, there is considerable rage in one celestial mind ever
since against another male one in red wig and yellow bottom;
and they are not on speaking terms, for a good many months past.
Voltaire has his heart sore ("J'EN AI LE COEUR PERCE") about it,
needs to double-dose Maupertuis with flattery; and in fact has
used the utmost diplomacy to effect some varnish of a
reconcilement as Maupertuis
and then that LETTER of Friedrich's, which is in all the
Newspapers: "Three Kings,"--you plainly great man, Trismegistus of
the Sciences called Pure! Madame honors you, has always done:
one word of apology to the high female mind, it will work wonders;
--come now! [Voltaire,
216, 230 (Hague, 21st July, 1740, and Brussels, 9th Aug. &c).]
No reader guesses in our time what a shining celestial body the
Maupertuis, who is now fallen so dim again, then was to mankind.
In cultivated French society there is no such lion as
M. Maupertuis since he returned from flattening the Earth in the
Arctic regions. "The Exact Sciences, what else is there to depend
on?" thinks French cultivated society: "and has not Monsieur done
a feat in that line?" Monsieur, with fine ex-military manners, has
a certain austere gravity, reticent loftiness and polite
dogmatism, which confirms that opinion. A studious ex-military
man,--was Captain of Dragoons once, but too fond of study,--who is
conscious to himself, or who would fain be conscious, that he is,
in all points, mathematical, moral and other, the man. A difficult
man to live with in society. Comes really near the limit of what
we call genius, of originality, poetic greatness in thinking;--but
never once can get fairly over said limit, though always
struggling dreadfully to do so. Think of it! A fatal kind of man;
especially if you have made a lion of him at any time. Of his
envies, deep-hidden splenetic discontents and rages, with
Voltaire's return for them, there will be enough to say in the
ulterior stages. He wears--at least ten years hence he openly
wears, though I hope it is not yet so flagrant--"a red wig with
yellow bottom (CRINIERE JAUNE);" and as Flattener of the Earth,
is, with his own flattish red countenance and impregnable stony
eyes, a man formidable to look upon, though intent to be amiable
if you do the proper homage. As to the quarrel with Madame take
this Note; which may prove illustrative of some things by
and by:--
Maupertuis is well known at Cirey; such a lion could not fail
there. All manner of Bernouillis, Clairauts, high mathematical
people, are frequent guests at Cirey: reverenced by Madame,--who
indeed has had her own private Professor of Mathematics; one Konig
from Switzerland (recommended by those Bernouillis), diligently
teaching her the Pure Sciences this good while back, not without
effect; and has only just parted with him, when she left on this
Brussels expedition. A BON GARCON, Voltaire says; though
otherwise, I think, a little noisy on occasion. There has been no
end of Madame's kindness to him, nay to his Brother and him,--sons
of a Theological Professorial Syriac-Hebrew kind of man at Berne,
who has too many sons;--and I grieve to report that this heedless
Konig has produced an explosion in Madame's feelings, such as
little beseemed him. On the road to Paris, namely, as we drove
hitherward to the Honsbruck Lawsuit by way of Paris, in Autumn
last, there had fallen out some dispute, about the monads, the VIS
VIVA, the infinitely little, between Madame and Konig; dispute
which rose CRESCENDO in disharmonious duet, and "ended," testifies
M. de Voltaire, "in a scene TRESDESAGREABLE." Madame, with an
effort, forgave the thoughtless fellow, who is still rather young,
and is without malice. But thoughtless Konig, strong in his
opinion about the infinitely little, appealed to Maupertuis:
"Am not I right, Monsieur?" "HE is right beyond question!" wrote
Maupertuis to Madame; "somewhat dryly," thinks Voltaire: and the
result is, there is considerable rage in one celestial mind ever
since against another male one in red wig and yellow bottom;
and they are not on speaking terms, for a good many months past.
Voltaire has his heart sore ("J'EN AI LE COEUR PERCE") about it,
needs to double-dose Maupertuis with flattery; and in fact has
used the utmost diplomacy to effect some varnish of a
reconcilement as Maupertuis