32 LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN.

Desfontaines when accused of a capital offence : he wasrepaid by the publication of calumnies. » The attacksdeserved contempt only; but Voltaire could r.ot bebrought to this opinion : “ I must have reparation/’ hewrites to a friend, “ or I die dishonoured. Facts andthe most shocking impostures are in question. Youknow not to what a degree the abbe Desfontaines isthe oracle of the provinces. I am told that he is de-spised in Paris ; yet his f Observations’ sell better thanany other work. My silence drives him to despair,you say. Ah, how little do you know him ! He willtake my silence as a mark of submission ; and I shallbe disgraced by the most despicable man alive, withoutthe smallest act of revenge — without justifying my-self.”

With these feelings he thought it necessary to writea defence. He proposed, at one time, entering on a law-suit. And, to add to his troubles, his friend Thiriotacted a weak, tergiversating part. Weak in health,irritated in temper by excessive application, he was in astate of too great excitement to judge calmly and actwith dignity. For six months every occupation waspostponed to his desire of vengeance ; a serious attackof illness was the consequence. With this unfortunatesusceptibility when defamed, we must contrast hispatience under every other species of annoyance, andhis constant benevolence. He suffered various pecu-niary losses at this time, but never complained, norceased to benefit several literary men who had no re-source except in his generosity.

To return to Cirey and its letter-writing guest. Ma-dame de Graffigny ’s own turn for suffering came at last.The bigotry and severity of the French governmentwith regard to the press, while cardinal Fleuri wasminister, kept Voltaire and his friend in a continualstate of uneasiness. Twice since his retirement to Cireyhe had been obliged to fly to Holland to escape a lettrede cachet ; and, meanwhile, he could not resist writingsatires on religion and government, which he read to