VOLTAIRE (1694-1778). L.A.S. "V", "Monrion" [Montriond] January 20, 1757, to Charles-Augustin, comte d'Argental; 4pages in-4. After Damiens' attempt on Louis XV's life (January 5). "Mon cher ange, je sens tout le prix de votre souvenir dans un temps ou vous êtes si consterné de l'horrible avanture, et si occupé à remplir le vide immense laissé dans le parlement. Your assiduity to new duties from which you are exempt, is a merit of which the parliament, the public and the court must take account of you. I flatter myself for the honor of the nation and the century, and for my own, who have so much celebrated this nation and this century, that no shadow of complicity, no appearance of conspiracy will be found in the attack, as abominable as it is absurd, of this cowardly assassin, this miserable bastard Ravaillac. I hope we'll only find the traces of insanity. It's true that this madness will have been inspired by some of the scoundrel's fanatical speeches. It's like a dog bitten by a few dogs in the rüe who has become enraged. It seems that the monster didn't have a clear-cut plan, after all, you don't kill kings with a feather-cutting knife. But why did the scelerat have thirty louis in his pocket°? Ravaillac and Jaques Clément didn't have a penny. I dare not trouble your friendship with the details of this execrable attack. But how can I justify myself for having so assured you that these horrors would never happen again, that the time of fanaticism was over, that reason and gentle morals reigned in France? I'd like to see Mohammed played again some time soon. I'd like to talk to you now about this Histoire genérale, or rather this painting of human misery, this picture of the horrors of ten centuries. But if you have the leisure to receive the opinions of those who have had the courage to read something of it, you will be doing me a real favor by teaching me what people think of it, and what I need to correct in general, for it is always to correct myself that I study myself. What else do I do with the old Zulime? Work has always been my consolation. The plane and the file are still my instruments. Is it true that M. de Ste Palaye will succeed Fontenelle in the Académie? Je lui souhaitete sa place et sa longue vie"... Correspondance (Pléiade), t.IV, n°4671.