rinas, implacable
Empress-Queens; a whole world in armed delirium rushes on, regardless of
Wilhelmina. Never mind, my noble one; your Brother will perhaps manage
to come up with this leviathan or that among the heap of them, at a good
time, and smite into the fifth rib of him. Your Brother does not the
least shape towards giving in; thank the Heavens, he will stand to
himself at least; his own poor strength will all be on his own side.

Wilhelmina's hopes of a Peace with France; mission of her Mirabeau,
missions and schemes not a few, we have heard of on Wilhelmina's part
with this view; but the notablest is still to mention: that of stirring
up, by Voltaire's means, an important-looking Cardinal de Tencin to
labor in the business. Eminency Tencin lives in Lyon, known to the
Princess on her Italian Tour;--shy of asking Voltaire to dinner on
that fine occasion,--but, except Officially, is not otherwise than
well-affected to Voltaire. Was once Chief Minister of France, and
would fain again be; does not like these Bernis novelties and Austrian
Alliances, had he now any power to overset them. Let him correspond
with Most Christian Majesty, at least; plead for a Peace with Prussia,
Prussia being so ready that way. Eminency Tencin, on Voltaire's
suggestion, did so, perhaps is even now doing so; till ordered to hold
HIS peace on such subjects. This is certain and well known; but nothing
else is known, or to us knowable, about it; Voltaire, in vague form,
being our one authority, through whom it is vain to hunt, and again
hunt. [_OEuvres (Memoires),_ ii. 92, 93; IB. i. 143; Preuss, ii. 84.]
The Dates, much more the features and circumstances, all lie buried
from us, and--till perhaps the Lamentation-Psalms are well edited--must
continue lying. As a fact certain, but undeniably vague.

Voltaire's procedure, one can gather, is polite, but two-faced; not
sublime on this occasion. In fact, is intended to serve himself. To the
high Princess he writes devotionally, ready to obey in all things; and
then to his Eminency Cardinal Tencin, it rather seems as if the tone
were: "Pooh! yes, your Eminency; such are the poor Lady's notions. But
does your Eminency take notice how high my connections are; what service
a poor obscure creature might perhaps do the State some day?" Friedrich
himself is, in these ways, brought into correspondence with Voltaire
again; and occasionally writes to him in this War, and ever afterwards:
Voltaire responds