74 LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN.

prose, and combated his idea by every argument thatseemed most likely to have weight. Frederic was insome sort convinced ; he dismissed the idea of self-destruction ; but he resolved to fall on the field of battle,unless the victory was decided in his favour.

This more heroic resolution was rewarded by thegain of two battles, in which scarcely a Prussian fell,and the defeat of the enemy was complete. Fredericwrote triumphantly to his friend to announce his vic-1758 . tories. Soon after, Voltaire was applied to by cardinaljEtat. Xencin, who had refused to receive him at Lyons, to64 ‘ forward letters which were to negotiate a peace. Thewily philosopher consented: he was aware that thecardinal would fail, and he was malicious enough to wishto enjoy the sight of his mortification. The cardinaldid fail, and more disgracefully than he expected; andthe disappointment cost him his life. “ I have neverbeen able to understand,” Voltaire observes, “ how itis that people are killed by vexation, and how ministersand cardinals, whose hearts are so hard, retain sufficientsensibility to die from the effects of a disappointment.It was my design to mortify and laugh at, not to killhim."

Voltaire had secured his safety, and could give him-self up to that ardent love of study, that restlessaspiration for fame, that eager endeavour to overthrowthe superstitions (and, unfortunately, more than thesuperstitions, the religion) of Europe , and that morenoble resolution to oppose all abuses, and to be therefuge and support of the oppressed, which animatedhis soul through a long life chequered by physicalsuffering. In his retreat of Les Delices, he brought outhis historical work on the “ Manners and Spirit ofNations." He composed several of his best tragedies;he wrote “Candide," a book rendered illustrious byits wit and penetrating spirit of observation, in spiteof its grossness and implied impiety, which are thereigning blemishes of Voltaire ’s writings. As usual,also, he erected a theatre in his house. Added to his