talents of his epoch, so as to render joint homage to
the rapid progress of science. Won over by his enthusiasm, D'Alembert
consented to share the task; and he wrote the beautiful exposition in the
introduction. Voltaire sent his articles from Delices. The Jesuits had
proposed to take upon themselves a certain number of questions, but their
co-operation was declined: it was a monument to philosophy that the
Encyclopaedists aspired to raise; the clergy were in commotion at seeing
the hostile army, till then uncertain and unbanded, rally organized and
disciplined around this vast enterprise. An early veto, soon, however,
taken off, compelled the philosophers to a certain moderation; Voltaire
ceased writing for the _Encyclopaedia;_ it was not sufficiently
free-going for him. "You admit articles worthy of the Trevoux journal,"
he said to D'Alembert. New severities on the part of the Parliament and
the grand council dealt a blow to the philosophers before long: the
editors' privilege was revoked. Orders were given to seize Diderot's
papers. Lamoignon de Malesherbes, who was at that time director of the
press, and favorable to freedom without ever having abused it in thought
or action, sent him secret warning. Diderot ran home in consternation.
"What's to be done?" he cried; "how move all my manuscripts in twenty-
four hours? I haven't time even to make a selection. And, above all,
where find people who would and can take charge of them safely?" "Send
them all to me," replied M. de Malesherbes; "nobody will come thither to
look for them."

Feeble governments are ill served even by their worthiest servants; the
severities ordered against the _Encyclopaedia_ did not stop its
publication; D'Alembert, however, weary of the struggle, had ceased to
take part in the editorship. Naturally cool and moderate, when it was
nothing to do with Mdlle. de Lespinasse, the great affection of his life,
the illustrious geometer was content with a little. "Twelve hundred
livres a year are enough for me," he wrote to the Great Frederick who was
pressing him to settle in his dominions. "I will not go and reap the
succession to Maupertuis during his lifetime. I am overlooked by
government, just as so many others by Providence; persecuted as much as
anybody can be, if some day I have to fly my country, I will simply ask
Frederick's permission to go and die in his dominions, free and poor."

[Illustration: Alembert----317]

Frederic