apporte des choses qui font frémir. Faites comme moi, armez-vous de constance.
Dear sir, I have reaped benefit enough, since I have pleased you, and not displeased your nation. I return you my most tender thanks. I hope to come over myself, in order to print my true works, and to be buried in the land of freedom. I require no subscription ; I desire no benefit. If my works are neatly printed, and cheaply sold, I am satisfied.
You must know, my dear sir, that a dispute upon a point of mathematics has raised a scandalous noise between M. Maupertuis, president of the Prussian Academy, and professor Kœnig. All the philosophers of Europe were for Kœnig, and all the world cried out against the ill usage he met with from Maupertuis. But the king of Prussia took the part of the president, and wrote against Kœnig’s abettors a pamphlet, wherein His Majesty calls them rogues, scurrilous and infamous writers, halfwitted and madmen. In the mean time, Maupertuis published a singular book of philosophy.
The author proposes to build a latin town : to lengthen out human life to four hundred years, by laying men asleep : to go to the antarctick pole, and there to dissect the brain of giants, in order to know the nature of the soul, etc., etc. The book in full of such nonsense ; but the author had the good sensr to calumniate me to the king. His Majesty, one day, according to his good will and pleasure, ordered at his breakfast that his hangman should burn a little banter I had wrote upon the noble discoveries of Maupertuis.
The rest of the story is contained in the little paper I send you, which I entreat you to have inserted in your news-papers. If I live and if I am free, I will cross the sea to thank you, my dear friend.
Your for ever.
P. S. Pray, keep my letter secrets[2].
