ll suffice my readers and me.

But there is another literary project on hand, which did take
effect;--much worthy of mention, this year; the whole world having risen
into such a Chorus of TE DEUM at sight of it next year. In this year
falls, what at any rate was a great event to Friedrich, as literary man:
the printing of his first Book,--assiduous writing of it with an eye to
print. The Book is that "celebrated ANTI-MACHIAVEL," ever-praiseworthy
Refutation of Machiavel's PRINCE; concerning which there are such
immensities of Voltaire Correspondence, now become, like the Book
itself, inane to all readers. This was the chosen soul's employment of
Friedrich, the flower of life to him, at Reinsberg, through the yea?
1739. It did not actually get to press till Spring 1740; nor actually
come out till Autumn,--by which time a great change had occurred in
Friedrich's title and circumstances: but we may as well say here what
little is to be said of it for modern readers.

"The Crown-Prince, reading this bad Book of Machiavel's, years ago, had
been struck, as all honest souls, especially governors or apprentices
to governing, must be, if they thought of reading such a thing, with
its badness, its falsity, detestability; and came by degrees, obliquely
fishing out Voltaire's opinion as he went along, on the notion of
refuting Machiavel; and did refute him, the best he could. Set down,
namely, his own earnest contradiction to such ungrounded noxious
doctrines; elaborating the same more and more into clear logical
utterance; till it swelled into a little Volume; which, so excellent
was it, so important to mankind, Voltaire and friends were clear for
publishing. Published accordingly it was; goes through the press next
Summer (1740), under Voltaire's anxious superintendence: [Here, gathered
from Friedrich's Letters to Voltaire, is the Chronology of the little
Enterprise:--1738, MARCH 21, JUNE 17, "Machiavel a baneful man,"
thinks Friedrich. "Ought to be refuted by somebody?" thinks he (date not
known). 1739, MARCH 22, Friedrich thinks of doing it himself. Has done
it, DECEMBER 4;--"a Book which ought to be printed," say Voltaire and
the literary visitors. 1740, APRIL 26, Book given up to Voltaire for
finished; Book appears, "end of SEPTEMBER," when a great change had
occurred in Friedrich's title and position.] for the Prince has at
length consented; and Voltaire hands the Manuscript, with mystery yet
with hints, to a Dutch Booksell