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great Corneille, whom he had adopted. Several visitorsfrom Geneva dropped in, and afterwards he proposed adrive, and he and his niece, madame de Saint Julien,and myself entered the carriage, and he took us to thevillage to see the houses he is building, and the chari-table establishments he has founded. He is greater herethan in his books, for so ingenious a goodness appearsin all, that one wonders that the same hand which wroteso much blasphemy, could form such noble, wise, anduseful works. He shows this village to all strangers,but unpretendingly. He speaks of it with kindness andsimplicity ; he mentions all that he has done, but withno appearance of boasting. On returning to the chateau,the conversation was very animated : it was night beforeI took my leave.
“ The portraits and busts of Voltaire are all very like ;but no artist has painted his eyes well. I expected tofind them brilliant and full of fire; and they are, indeed,the most expressive of intellect that I ever saw; butthey are full, at the same time, of softness and inex-pressible tenderness. The very soul of Zaire shone inthose eyes. His smile and laugh, which is very ma-licious, changed at once this charming expression. He isvery decrepid ; and his old-fashioned dress makes himlook older. He has a hollow voice, which produces asingular effect, especially as he is in the habit of speak-j ing very loud, although he is not deaf. When neitherreligion nor his enemies are mentioned, his convers-'* ation is simple, unpretending, and delightful. It ap-peared as if he could not endure the expression of[opinions differing from his own on any point. On theslightest contradiction his voice became shrill and hismanner decided. He has lost much of the manners of|jthe world: and this is natural; ever since he has livedon this estate no one visits him but to cover him withflattery. His opinions are oracles ; all around is at hisfeet. The admiration he inspires is the continual sub-ject of conversation, and the most extravagant exagge-
VOL. II. h