ectifying stupidities more or less
enormous, the Piece itself is still discoverable; and, were pieces by
Voltaire much a rarity instead of the reverse, might be resuscitated
by a good Editor, and printed in his WORKS. Lies buried in the lonesome
rubbish-mountains of that _Helden-Geschichte,_--let a SISTE VIATOR,
scratched on the surface, mark where. [Ib. ii. 98-98.] Apparently that
is the Piece by Voltaire? Yes, on reading that, it has every internal
evidence; distinguishes itself from the surrounding pieces, like a slab
of compact polished stone, in a floor rammed together out of ruinous old
bricks, broken bottles and mortar-dust;--agrees, too, if you examine
by the microscope, with the external indications, which are sure and
at last clear, though infinitesimally small; and is beyond doubt
Voltaire's, if it were now good for much.

It is not properly a Manifesto, but an anonymous memoir published in the
Newspapers, explaining to impartial mankind, in a legible brief manner,
what the old and recent History of Herstal, and the Troubles of Herstal,
have been, and how chimerical and "null to the extreme of nullity
(NULLES DE TOUT NULLITE)" this poor Bishop's pretensions upon it are.
Voltaire expressly piques himself on this Piece; [Letter to Friedrich:
dateless, datable "soon after 17th September;" which the rash dark
Editors have by guess misdated "August; "or, what was safer for them,
omitted it altogether. _OEuvres de Voltaire_ (Paris, 1818, 40 vols.)
gives the Letter, xxxix. 442 (see also ibid. 453, 463); later Editors,
and even Preuss, take the safer course.] brags also how he settled "M.
de Fenelon [French Ambassador at the Hague], who came to me the day
before yesterday," much out of square upon the Herstal Business, till
I pulled him straight. And it is evident (beautifully so, your Majesty)
how Voltaire busied himself in the Gazettes and Diplomatic circles,
setting Friedrich's case right; Voltaire very loyal to Friedrich and
his Liege Cause at that time;--and the contrast between what his
contemporary Letters say on the subject, and what his ulterior Pasquil
called VIE PRIVEE says, is again great.

The dull stagnant world, shaken awake by this Liege adventure, gives
voice variously; and in the Gazetteer and Diplomatic circles it is much
criticised, by no means everywhere in the favorable tone at this first
blush of the business. "He had written an ANTI-Machiavel," says the Abbe
St. Pierre, and even says Voltaire