and
the Austrians, quartered in the house during the late war, have not
improved it; the bed-curtains especially, which for the last forty years
have supplied each traveller with a precious little bit, hastily torn
off, are of course in tatters. The bedstead is of common deal, coarsely
put together; a miserable portrait of Le Kain, in crayons, hangs inside
of the bed, and two others, equally bad, on each side, Frederic and
Voltaire himself. Round the room are bad prints of Washington, Franklin,
Sir Isaac Newton, and several other celebrated personages; the
ante-chamber is decorated with naked figures, in bad taste; each of
these rooms may be 12 feet by 15.

Such is the narrative of an intelligent traveller, who recently visited
Ferney. "Very few," says he, "remain alive, of those who saw the poet: a
gardener who conducted us about the grounds had that advantage; he
showed us the place where the theatre stood, filling the space on the
left-hand side in entering, between the chateau and the chapel, but the
inscription on the last, _Voltaire a Dieu_, was removed during the reign
of terror. The _old_ gardener spoke favourably of his _old_ master, who
was, he said, _bon homme tout-a-fait, bien charitable,_ and took an
airing every morning in his coach and four."

In the sitting-room, adjoining the bedroom, which he was accustomed to
occupy, besides some good ancient paintings, is a very singular picture,
which was painted according to Voltaire's direction. The principal
personages are Voltaire, holding in his hand a roll of paper inscribed
La Henriade; next him is a female personification of this favourite
poem, whom he is presenting to Apollo crowned with rays of glory; Louis
XIV. with his queen and court, are observing these chief figures. In
another part, the Muses are crowning the burst of Voltaire with wreaths
of flowers, and proposing to place it with those of other immortal
authors in the Temple of Fame. The bottom of the picture is occupied by
his enemies, who are being torn to pieces by wild beasts, or burning in
flames of fire.

In the bed-room is a marble cenotaph, on which is an urn that formerly
contained the heart of Voltaire, which was removed several years ago,
and placed in the church of Les Invalides at Paris. In this room also is
an engraving of Voltaire's monument in the church-yard of Ferney. In
this, four figures, representing the four quarters of the world, are
preparing to honour his bust with wrea