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same enthusiasm that I felt myself for this actress; andI was enjoying the impression I appeared to make,when, interrupting me, he exclaimed with transport —c That is exactly like madame Denis — she has im-proved most astonishingly. I wish you could see herplay Zaire , Alzire, Idame — it is the perfection oftalent.’ Madame Denis compared to Clairon! Myardour was checked in a moment ; so true it is thattaste accommodates itself to the objects it possesses.In the evening, I drew Voltaire out about the king ofPrussia. He spoke with a sort of lofty magnanimity ;like a man who disdained an easy revenge, or as a loverpardons a mistress, whom he deserts, for the indignationand blame she expresses. The conversation at supperturned on the literary men he most esteemed ; and itwas easy to discern those whom he really loved — it wasthose who made the most public boast of his friendship.Before we went to rest, he read us two new cantos ofthe ‘ Pucelle,’ and Madame Denis remarked to us thatthis was the only day since his arrival at Les Delicesthat he had passed without shutting himself up in hisstudy during some portion of it. The next day wehad the discretion to leave him during a part of themorning to himself. I told him that we would waittill he rang. He was visible at eleven o’clock, but wasstill in bed. * Young man,’ said he to me, ‘ I hopeyou have not renounced poetry : let me see what youhave lately written.’ * * * Before dinner he took
me to pay some visits in Geneva ; and, speaking of hisintercourse with the Genevese, he said, ‘ It is agreeableto live in a country whose sovereigns send to ask you tolend them your carriage when they come to dine withyou.’ His house was open to them, they passed wholedays there. * * *
“ In the evening, at supper, our kings and theirmistresses were the subjects of conversation; and Vol-taire , while making a comparison of the gallantry ofthe old court and the present one, displayed thatabundant memory from which nothing interesting