VOLTAIRE.

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Rocence; he had a right to look on himself as thecause, not only of the justice at last done to the wronged,but of the virtuous sympathy felt by all Europe in theiracquittal. He, whose sensations were all so keen, feltdeeply the gladness of victory. He knew that manyblessed his name; he felt himself to be the cause of goodto his fellow-creatures, and the epithet of the saviourof the Calas was that in which, to the end of his life,he took most pride and joy. His letters at the momentof the final decision show the depth of his emotion.

“ Philosophy, alone, has gained this victory,” he writes; 1765.“ my old eyes weep with joy.” To conclude thehistory, David, the magistrate whose fanaticism and 71 'cruelty hurried on the death of the miserable old man,was deprived of his place; struck by remorse andshame, he lost his reason, and soon after died.

Voltaire , known as the protector of the innocent, wassoon called upon to render a similar service for anotherfamily. A girl of the name of Sirven had been carriedoff from her Protestant family, and, according to thebarbarous custom of the times, was shut up in a con-vent; where, not yielding to conversion as readily aswas expected, she was treated with such severity thatin a fit of desperation she threw herself into a well and-was drowned. Instead of punishing the priests andnuns for the effects of their persecution, her familywas accused of her death. They had time to escape,but were condemned to death for contumacy. Theunfortunate father and mother resolved to apply toVoltaire . Reduced to destitution, they ware forcedto make the journey on foot, and presented them-selves in a miserable state at Ferney. Voltaire waseager to raise his voice in their favour, though hewas awire that the public, having lavished all theirpity oh the Calas would listen coldly to a new story.

The spirit of toleration, which, nevertheless, hehad spread abroad, served him in this case, as theenthusiism of compassion had in the other; suchdelays, however, occurred, that the unfortunate mothero 2