that no power upon
earth could force me to reveal it."

"I know that you are a true and zealous servant of your king and
country," said Frederick. "Once more I say to you, other than an
honorable peace I will not make; and if empress-queen does not accept
the abandonment of Bavaria as the basis of peace, then I must conquer my
aversion to war, and the sword must arrange what the pen has failed to
do. And now, passons ladessus! Until Thugut arrives, let us speak of
other things. I have been tolerably industrious, and have improved the
leisure of camp-life as much as possible. I have written a panegyric
upon Voltaire, and when it is revised and corrected you shall arrange an
anniversary in memoriam, at the Berlin Academy, and read my eulogy."

"All Germany and all Europe will be surprised at the magnanimity of
the royal mind which could occupy itself in the camp with the muse, and
erect an imperishable monument to the man who witnessed such ingratitude
and baseness to his benefactor and protector."

"Vous allez trop vite, mon cher; vraiment, trop vite," cried Frederick,
ardently. "It is true Voltaire was a miserable fellow, but he was a
great poet. He returned meanness and ingratitude to me for the many
kindnesses I showed to him, for I treated him more like a friend than a
king. Voltaire was my benefactor, in so far that I owed to him the most
agreeable and elevating hours of my youth, In memory of these hours I
have written this eulogy. It is not worthy of particular mention, and
the Academie Francaise will doubtless severely criticise my knowledge of
their language. But it is impossible to write well, one moment in camp
and another on the march. If it is unworthy of him whom it was intended
to celebrate, I have at least availed myself of the freedom of the pen,
and will cause to be publicly read in Berlin what one dares not whisper
in Paris." [Footnote: The king's own words.--"Posthumous Works," vol.
xv., p. 109. This eulogy upon Voltaire, which the king wrote in camp,
Herzberg read, in the November following, before the Academy.]

"I shall be most happy to be the instrument to make known this generous
expression of your majesty's good-will," remarked Herzberg, bowing.

Frederick smiled, adding: "But with the other work which I have
commenced, you are not quite satisfied. You are such an enthusiastic
German, that you presume to assert that the intolerable German jargon is
a beautiful and expressive language!"

"A