Bavaria; and reducing that worthy Prince to the lowest poverty,--
poverty, I say not, of a Prince, but into the frightfulest state
for a private man!" Ah, Monsieur.

"And yet your France is the most charming of Nations; and if it is
not feared, it deserves well to be loved. A King worthy to command
it, who governs sagely, and acquires for himself the esteem of all
Europe,--[there, won't that do!] may restore its ancient splendor,
which the Broglios, and so many others even more inept, have a
little eclipsed. That is assuredly a work worthy of a Prince
endowed with such gifts! To reverse the sad posture of affairs,
nobly repairing what others have spoiled; to defend his country
against furious enemies, reducing them to beg Peace, instead of
scornfully rejecting it when offered: never was more glory
acquirable by any King! I shall admire whatsoever this great man
[CE GRAND HOMME, Louis XV., not yet visibly tending to the dung-
heap, let us hope better things!] may achieve in that way; and of
all the Sovereigns of Europe none will be less jealous of his
success than I:"--there, my spheral friend, show that!
[ OEuvres de Frederic, xxii. 139: see, for
what followed, OEuvres de Voltaire, lxxiii.
129 (report to Amelot, 27th October).]

Which the spheral friend does. Nor was it "irony," as the new
Commentators think; not at all; sincere enough, what you call
sincere;--Voltaire himself had a nose for "irony"! This was what
you call sincere Panegyric in liberal measure; why be stingy with
your measure? It costs half an hour: it will end Voltaire's
importunities; and so may, if anything, oil the business-wheels
withal. For Friedrich foresees business enough with Louis and the