Produced by David Widger
MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798
THE ETERNAL QUEST, Volume 3e—WITH VOLTAIRE
M. de Voltaire; My Discussions with That Great Man—Ariosto—The Duc de
Villars—The Syndic and the Three Girls—Dispute with
Voltaire—Aix-en-Savoie—The Marquis Desarmoises
"M. de Voltaire," said I, "this is the happiest moment of my life. I havebeen your pupil for twenty years, and my heart is full of joy to see mymaster."
"Honour me with your attendance on my course for twenty years more, andpromise me that you will bring me my fees at the end of that time."
"Certainly, if you promise to wait for me."
This Voltairean sally made all present laugh, as was to be expected, forthose who laugh keep one party in countenance at the other's expense, andthe side which has the laughter is sure to win; this is the rule of goodsociety.
I was not taken by surprise, and waited to have my revenge.
Just then two Englishmen came in and were presented to him.
"These gentlemen are English," said Voltaire; "I wish I were."
I thought the compliment false and out of place; for the gentlemen wereobliged to reply out of politeness that they wished they had been French,or if they did not care to tell a lie they would be too confused to tellthe truth. I believe every man of honour should put his own nation first.
A moment after, Voltaire turned to me again and said that as I was a
Venetian I must know Count Algarotti.
"I know him, but not because I am a Venetian, as seven-eights of my dearcountrymen are not even aware of his existence."
"I should have said, as a man of letters."
"I know him from having spent two months with him at Padua, seven yearsago, and what particularly attracted my attention was the admiration heprofessed for M. de Voltaire."
"That is flattering for me, but he has no need of admiring anyone."
"If Algarotti had not begun by admiring others, he would never have madea name for himself. As an admirer of Newton he endeavoured to teach theladies to discuss the theory of light."
"Has he succeeded?"
"Not as well as M. de Fontenelle in his 'Plurality of Worlds;' however,one may say he has succeeded."
"True. If you see him at Bologna, tell him I am expecting to hear fromhim about Russia. He can address my letters to my banker, Bianchi, atMilan, and they will be sent on to me."
"I will not fail to do so if I see him."
"I have heard that the Italians do not care for his style."
"No; all that he writes is full of French idioms. His style is wretched."
"But do not these French turns increase the beauty of your language?"
"They make it insufferable, as French would be mixed with Italian or
German even though it were written by M. de Voltaire."
"You are right; every language should preserve its purity. Livy has beencriticised on this account; his Latin is said to be tainted withpatavinity."
"When I began to learn Latin, the Abbe Lazzarini told me he prefe