d to invite me, with all the kindness
possible: but, alas, for such hopes! The bad state of my health--"

FALKENSTEIN. "It seems to me you have already been to see the King of
Prussia?"

D'ALEMBERT. "Two times; once in 1756 [1755, 17th-19th June,--if you will
be exact], at Wesel, when I remained only a few days; and again in 1763,
when I had the honor to pass three or four months with him. Since that
time I have always longed to have the honor of seeing his Majesty again;
but circumstances hindered me. I, above all, regretted not to have been
able to pay my court to him that year he saw the Emperor at Neisse,--but
at this moment there is nothing more to be wished on that head" (Don't
bow: the Gentleman is INCOGNITO).

FALKENSTEIN. "It was very natural that the Emperor, young, and desiring
to instruct himself, should wish to see such a Prince as the King of
Prussia; so great a Captain, a Monarch of such reputation, and who has
played so great a part. It was a Scholar going to see his Master" (these
are his very words, your Majesty).

D'ALEMBERT. "I wish M. le Comte de Falkenstein could see the Letters
which the King of Prussia did me the honor to write after that
Interview: it would then appear how this Prince judged of the Emperor,
as all the world has since done." ["D'Alembert to Friedrich [in _OEuvres
de Frederic,_ xxv. 75], 23d May, 1777." Ib. xxv. 82; "13th August,
1777."]

KING TO D'ALEMBERT (three months after. Kaiser is home; passed Ferney,
early in August; and did not call on Voltaire, as is well known).... "I
hear the Comte de Falkenstein has been seeing harbors, arsenals, ships,
manufactures, and has n't seen Voltaire. Had I been in the Emperor's
place, I would not have passed Ferney without a glance at the old
Patriarch, were it only to say that I had seen and heard him. Arsenals,
ships, manufactures, these you can see anywhere; but it requires ages
to produce a Voltaire. By the rumors I hear, it will have been a certain
great Lady Theresa, very Orthodox and little Philosophical, who forbade
her Son to visit the Apostle of Tolerance."

D'ALEMBERT (in answer): "No doubt your Majesty's guess is right. It must
have been the Lady Mother. Nobody here believes that the advice came
from his Sister [Queen Marie Antoinette], who, they say, is full of
esteem for the Patriarch, and has more than once let him know it by
third parties." [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ xxv. 84.]

According to Friedrich, Joseph's reflection