nd we will say only, that M. de Voltaire did actually, after
the conceivable adventures, alight in the Berlin Schloss (last day of
August, as I count); welcomed, like no other man, by the Royal Landlord
there;--and that this is the Fourth Visit; and has (in strict privacy)
weightier intentions than any of the foregoing, on M. de Voltaire's
part.

Voltaire had a glorious reception; apartment near the King's; King
gliding in, at odd moments, in the beautifulest way; and for seven or
eight days, there was, at Berlin and then at Potsdam, a fine awakening
of the sphere-harmonies between them, with touches of practicality
thrown in as suited. Of course it was not long till, on some touch of
that latter kind, Friedrich discerned what the celestial messenger had
come upon withal;--a dangerous moment for M. de Voltaire, "King visibly
irritated," admits he, with the aquiline glance transfixing him!" Alas,
your Majesty, mere excess of loyalty, submission, devotion, on my poor
part! Deign to think, may not this too,--in the present state of my
King, of my Two Kings, and of all Europe,--be itself a kind of spheral
thing?" So that the aquiline lightning was but momentary; and abated to
lambent twinklings, with something even of comic in them, as we
shall gather. Voltaire had his difficulties with Valori, too; "What
interloping fellow is this?" gloomed Valori, "A devoted secretary of
your Excellency's; on his honor, nothing more!" answered Voltaire,
bowing to the ground:--and strives to behave as such; giving Valori
"these poor Reports of mine to put in cipher," and the like. Very
slippery ice hereabouts for the adroit man! His reports to Amelot are
of sanguine tone; but indicate, to the by-stander, small progress; ice
slippery, and a twinkle of the comic. Many of them are lost (or lie
hidden in the French Archives, and are not worth disinterring): but here
is one, saved by Beaumarchais and published long afterwards, which will
sufficiently bring home the old scene to us. In the Palace of Berlin or
else of Potsdam (date must be, 6th-8th September, 1743), Voltaire from
his Apartment hands in a "Memorial" to Friedrich; and gets it back with
Marginalia,--as follows:

"Would your Majesty be pleased to have the kind condescension (ASSEZ DE
BONTE) to put on the margin your reflections and orders."

MEMORIAL BY VOLTAIRE. "1. Your Majesty is to know that the Sieur
Bassecour [signifies BACKYARD], chief Burghermaster of Amsterdam,
has come l