to inquire what new work? "Ah,
nothing!"--_le faible Enfant de ma Vieillesse--a tragedy_. "May I ask
the subject?" "The subject is wholly Genevan," replied Voltaire, "the
name, _Empro-Giro_, and the dramatis personae _Carin-Caro, Dupins-Simon_,
and _Carcail Briffon, &c_." He then began to repeat, with great
animation, a number of passages, to which his visitor listened in
perfect raptures, but drew, meanwhile, a snuff-box from his pocket, and
began to look attentively on him and on a picture on the lid; thus
confronted with a portrait of Voltaire, and compared face to face, was a
trial for which our mimic was not prepared, and his courage nearly
forsook him, yet he kept up appearances, only coughing more, and ranting
on the high-sounding lines of his _Empro-Giro_. The Hungarian, not
undeceived by this close examination, replaced the snuff-box in his
pocket, declaring it to be the best likeness he had ever seen. He rose
at last, thanked his friend Voltaire, kissed his hand respectfully, and
went away, distributing to the servants he met on the stairs liberal
tokens of his satisfaction. These servants were the intimate friends and
companions of the chief actor, and one of them, his brother, unwilling
to carry the joke to the length of pocketing the money of their dupe,
they contrived to give him a dinner at a tavern, where he was made to
tell the story of his visit to Voltaire, and express his admiration of
the great man. The latter heard of this, was much amused, and desired to
see his double, told him he would make a bargain with him--half his fame
for half the tiresome visitors it procured him.

The poet lived like a prince, but kept his accounts like a citizen;
knowing to a sous where his money went: a good deal of it was bestowed
charitably, for he was munificent, and certainly much loved in his
neighbourhood. One night, when _Tancrede_ was acting, and the court of
the chateau was full of carriages and servants, there arrived, as ill
luck would have it, a cask of the best chambertin that ever came from
Burgundy; his own people could not attend to it, and the cask remained
at his cellar door; the servants contrived to get at it, and while their
masters and mistresses were shedding tears at the tragedy, they sipped
the poet's wine. There was generally a supper after the play, where more
than once two hundred people sat down, and Voltaire had something to say
to every one of his guests. As the gates of the town are shut