history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第18章
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（HAUTEUR ASSEZ DEDAIGNEUSE）。 ＇Formey； Souvenirs； i。 235； 236。＇ A great Prince had the complaisance to play chess with him； and to let him win the pistoles that were staked。 Sometimes even the pistole disappeared before the end of the game；〃 continues Formey； green with spite；and reports that sad story of the candle…ends； bits of wax…candle； which should have remained as perquisite to the valets； but which were confiscated by Voltaire and sent across to the wax…chandler's。 So； doubtless； the spiteful rumor ran； probably little but spite and fable； Berlin being bitter in its gossip。 Stupid Thiebault repeats that of the candle…ends； like a thing he had seen （twelve years BEFORE his arrival in those parts）； and adds that Voltaire 〃put them in his pocket；〃like one both stupid and sordid。 Alas； the brighter your shine； the blacker is the shadow you cast。
Friedrich； with the knowledge he already had of his yoke…fellow； one of the most skittish； explosive； unruly creatures in harness； cannot be counted wise to have plunged so heartily into such an adventure with him。 〃An undoubted Courser of the Sun！〃 thought Friedrich；and forgot too much the signs of bad going he had sometimes noticed in him on the common highways。 There is no doubt he was perfectly sincere and simple in all this high treatment of Voltaire。 〃The foremost； literary spirit of the world； a man to be honored by me； and by all men； the Trismegistus of Human Intellects； what a conquest to have made； how cheap is a little money； a little patience and guidance； for such solacement and ornament to one's barren Life！〃 He had rashly hoped that the dreams of his youth could hereby still be a little realized； and something of the old Reinsberg Program become a fruitful and blessed fact。 Friedrich is loyally glad over his Voltaire； eager in all ways to content him； make him happy； and keep him here； as the Talking Bird； the Singing Tree and the Golden Water of intelligent mankind； the glory of one's own Court； and the envy of the world。 〃Will teach us the secret of the Muses； too； French Muses； and help us in our bits of Literature！〃 This latter； too； is a consideration with Friedrich； as why should it not；though by no means the sole or chief one； as the French give it out to be。
On his side； Voltaire is not disloyal either； but is nothing like so completely loyal。 He has； and continued always to have； not unmixed with fear； a real admiration for Friedrich； that terrible practical Doer； with the cutting brilliances of mind and character； and the irrefragable common sense； nay he has even a kind of love to him； or something like it；love made up of gratitude for past favors； and lively anticipation of future。 Voltaire is； by nature； an attached or attachable creature； flinging out fond boughs to every kind of excellence； and especially holding firm by old ties he had made。 One fancies in him a mixed set of emotions； direct and reflex；the consciousness of safe shelter； were there nothing more； of glory to oneself； derived and still derivable from this high man：in fine； a sum…total of actual desire to live with King Friedrich； which might； surely； have almost sufficed even for Voltaire； in a quieter element。 But the element was not quiet；far from it； nor was Voltaire easily sufficeable！
PERPETUAL PRESIDENT MAUPERTUIS HAS A VISIT FROM ONE KONIG； OUT OF HOLLAND； CONCERNING THE INFINITELY LITTLE。
Whether Maupertuis； in red wig with yellow bottom； saw these high gauderies of the Carrousel； the Plays in Princess Amelia's Antechamber； and the rest of it； I do not know： but if so； he was not in the top place； nor did anybody take notice of him； as everybody did of Voltaire。 Meanwhile； I have something to quote； as abridged and distilled from various sources； chiefly from Formey； which will be of much concernment farther on。
Some four weeks after those Carrousel effulgencies； Perpetual President Maupertuis had a visit （September 21st； just while the Sun was crossing the Line； thanks to Formey for the date； who keeps a Note…book； useful in these intricacies）： visit from Professor Konig； an effective mathematical man from the Dutch parts。 Whom readers have forgotten again； though they saw him once： in violent quarrel； about the Infinitely Little； with Madame du Chatelet； Voltaire witnessing with pain；it was just as they quitted Cirey together； ten years ago； for these new courses of adventure。 Do readers recall the circumstance？ Maupertuis； referee in that quarrel； had； with a bluntness offensive to the female mind； declared Konig indisputably in the right； and there had followed a dryness between the divine Emilie and the Flattener of the Earth； scarcely to be healed by Voltaire's best efforts。
Konig has gone his road since then； become a fine solid fellow； Professor in a Dutch University； more latterly Librarian to the Dutch Stadtholder： still frank of speech； and with a rugged free… and…easy turn； but of manful manners； really a person of various culture； and as is still noticeable； of a solid geometric turn of mind。 Having now； as Librarian at the Hague； more leisure and more money； he has made a run to Berlin；chiefly or entirely to see his Maupertuis again； whom he still remembers gratefully as his first Patron in older times； and a man of sound parts； though rather blusterous now and then； A little bit of scientific business also he has with him。 Konig is Member of the Berlin Academy； for some years back； and there is a thing he would speak with the Perpetual President upon。 〃Wants nothing else in Berlin；〃 says Formey： a hearing by the road that Maupertuis was not there； he had actually turned homewards again： but got truer tidings； and came on。〃 The more was the pity； as perhaps will appear！ 〃He arrived September 20th ＇if you will be particular on cheese…parings＇； called on me that day； being lodged in my neighborhood； and next day； found Maupertuis at home；〃 ＇Formey； i。 176…179。＇and flew into his arms again； like a good boy long absent。
Maupertuis； not many months ago； had； in Two successive Papers； I think Two； communicated to the Academy a Discovery of Metaphysico… Mathematical or altogether Metaphysical nature； on the Laws of Motion；Discovery which he has； since that； brought to complete perfection； and sent forth to the Universe at large； in his sublime little Book of COSMOLOGY； ＇In La Beaumelle； Vie de Maupertuis （Paris； 1856）； pp。 105…130； confused account of this 〃Discovery；〃 and of the gradual Publication of it to mankind；very gradual； first of all in the old Paris times； in the Berlin ACADEMY latterly； and in fine； to all the world； in this ESSAI DE COSMOLOGIE （Berlin； Summer of 1750）。＇grateful Academy striving to admire； and believe； with its Perpetual President； that the Discovery was sublime to a degree； second only to the flattening of the Earth； and would probably stand thenceforth as a milestone in the Progress of Human Thought。 〃Which Discovery； then？〃 Be not too curious； reader； take only of it what shall concern you！
It is well known there have been； to the metaphysical head； difficulties almost insuperable as to How； in the System of Nature； Motion is？ How； in the name of wonder； it can be； and even； Whether it is at all？ Difficulties to the metaphysical head； sticking its nose into the gutter there；not difficult to my readers and me； who can at all times walk across the room； and triumphantly get over them。 But stick your nose into any gutter； entity； or object； this of Motion or another； with obstinacy；you will easily drown； if that be your determination！Suffice it for us to know in this matter； that Maupertuis； intensely watching Nature； has discovered； That the key of her enigma （or at least the ultimate central DOOR； which hides all her Motional enigmas； the key to WHICH cannot even be imagined as discoverable！） is； that 〃Nature is superlatively THRIFTY in this affair of motion；〃 that she employs； for every Motion done or do…able； 〃a MINIMUM OF ACTION；〃 and that； if you well understand this； you will； at least； announce all her procedures in one proposition； and have found the DOOR which leads to everything。 Which will be a comfort to you； still looking vainly for the key； if there is still no key conceivable。
Perpetual President Maupertuis； having surprised Nature in this manner； read Papers upon it to an Academy listening with upturned eyes； new Papers； perfected out of old；for he has long been hatching these Phoenix…eggs； and has sent them out complete； quite lately； in a little Book called COSMOLOGIE； where alone I have had the questionable benefit of reading them。 Grandly brief； as if coming from Delphi； the utterance is； loftily solemn； elaborately modest； abstruse to the now human mind； but intelligible； had it only been worth understanding：a painful little Book； that COSMOLOGIE； as the Perpetual President's generally are。 〃Minimum of Action； LOI D'EPARGNE； Law of Thrift；〃 he calls this sublime Discovery；thinks it will be Sovereign in Natural Theology as well： 〃For how could Nature be a Save…all； without Designer present？〃and speaks； of course； among other technical points； about 〃VIS VIVA； or Velocity multiplied by the Square of the Time：〃 which two points； 〃LOI D'EPARGNE；〃 and that 〃the VIS VIVA is always a Minimum；〃 the reader can take along with him； I will permit him to shake the others into Limbo again； as forgettable by human nature at this epoch and henceforth。
In La Beaumelle's Vie de Maupertuis （printed at last； Paris； 1856； after lying nearly a century in manuscript； an obtuse worthless leaden little Book）； there is much loud droning and detailing； about this COSMOLOGIE； this sublime 〃Discovery；〃 and the other sublime Discoveries； Insights and Apocalyptic Utterances of Maupertuis； though in so confused a fashion； it is seldom you can have the poor pleasure of learning exactly when； or except by your own severe scrutiny； exactly what。 For reasons that will appear； certain of those Apocalyptic Utterances by Perpetual President Maupertuis have since got a new interest； and one has actually a kind of wish to read the IPSISSIMA VERBA of them； at this date！ But in La Beaumelle （his modern Editor lying fast asleep throughout） there is no vestige of help。 Nay Maupertuis's own Book； ＇ OEuvres de Maupertuis； Lyon； 1756； 4 vols。 4to。＇ luxurious cream…paper Quartos； or Octaves made four…square by margin；which you buy for these and the cognate objects；proves altogether worthless to you。 The Maupertuis Quartos are not readable for their own sake （solemnly emphatic statement of what you already know； concentrated struggle to get on wing； and failure by so narrow a miss； struggle which gets only on tiptoe； and won't cease wriggling and flapping）； and then （to your horror） they prove to be carefully cleaned of all the Maupertuis…VOLTAIRE matter； edition being SUBSEQUENT to that world…famous explosion。 CAVEAT EMPTOR。Our Excerpt proceeds：
〃Industrious Konig； like other mathematical people； has been listening to these Oracles on the 'Law of Minimum；' by the Perpetual President； and grieves to find； after study； That said Law does not quite hold； that in fact it is； like Descartes's old key or general door； worth little or nothing； as Leibnitz long
