74

FERNEY.

taire. Over the grand entrance were theselines, but they are now effaced.

“ Sumptibus has proprius struxit Voltairius redes :

“ Hie effudit opes, dum scriptis edocet orbem.

“ Mcenia si starent, vatis dura scripts manebunt;

“ Urbs aeterna fores, aeternum nomen haberes.”

This man, so often accused of insensi-bility*, was always sad and unquiet onthe anniversary of St. Bartholomew ; heremembered with grief, and often in tearsthe horrors of that bloody day. If anyone approached him with an air of joy,he was displeased, and invariably shuthimself up, passing the day in contempla-tion and alone.

Over the door of the chapel which hebuilt is this inscription :

Deo erixit. Voltaire M.D.CC.LXI.

In spite of all the declamations of envyand malignity, the following anecdote iswell attested.

After supper one night at Lunfaille, at

* See Appendix , 11.