VOLTAIRE. "'There you find several of your countrymen [he had
Shakspeare, Milton, Congreve, Rochester, Shaftesbury, Bolingbroke,
Robertson, Hume and others]. Robertson is your Livy; his CHARLES FIFTH
is written with truth. Hume wrote his History to be applauded, Rapin to
instruct; and both obtained their ends.'
SHERLOCK. "'Lord Bolingbroke and you agreed that we have not one good
Tragedy.'
VOLTAIRE. "'We did think so. CATO is incomparably well written: Addison
had a great deal of taste;--but the abyss between taste and genius is
immense! Shakspeare had an amazing genius, but no taste: he has spoiled
the taste of the Nation. He has been their taste for two hundred years;
and what is the taste of a Nation for two hundred years will be so for
two thousand. This kind of taste becomes a religion; there are, in your
Country, a great many Fanatics for Shakspeare.'
SHERLOCK. "'Were you personally acquainted with Lord Bolingbroke?'
VOLTAIRE. "'Yes. His face was imposing, and so was his voice; in his
WORKS there are many leaves and little fruit; distorted expressions,
and periods intolerably long. [TAKING DOWN A BOOK.] There, you see the
KORAN, which is well read, at least. [It was marked throughout with bits
of paper.] There are HISTORIC DOUBTS, by Horace Walpole [which had also
several marks]; here is the portrait of Richard III.; you see he was a
handsome youth.'
SHERLOCK (making an abrupt transition). "'You have built a Church?'
VOLTAIRE. "'True; and it is the only one in the Universe in honor of
God [DEO EREXIT VOLTAIRE, as we read above]: you have plenty of Churches
built to St. Paul, to St. Genevieve, but not one to God.'" EXIT Sherlock
(to his Inn; makes jotting as above;--is to dine at Ferney to-morrow).