blood of the creatures they had all just admired and caressed, knew no bounds.
He constituted himself the champion of those whom he considered oppressed. His remark on the death of Admiral Byng, that he had been executed "to encourage the others," is well known; it is not, perhaps, so well known that he interfered actively to prevent the catastrophe. The commander of the successful expedition which Byng was expected to frustrate was Voltaire's friend, the Duke of Richelieu, and from him he begged for such a letter as might exonerate the unfortunate Admiral, then on his trial. After the evidence given at the court-martial was closed, a letter from Voltaire to Byng, written in English, was read: "Sir, though I am almost unknown to you, I think 'tis my duty to send you the copy of the letter which I have just received from the Marshal Duc de Richelieu; honour, humanity, and equity order me to convey it to your hands. The noble and unexpected testimony from one of the most candid, as well as most generous, of my countrymen, makes me presume your judges will do you justice."
He endeavoured, in a succession of cases, to obtain justice for the victims of judicial blunders. A young man, named Calas, had committed suicide by hanging himself. A ridiculous charge was brought against his father, a Calvinist, of having hanged him in order to prevent him from becoming a Roman Catholic. The mob, sagacious and tender as mobs usually are, credited the accusation and clamoured for his execution; the clergy were willing to see a useful example made; the parliament of Toulouse gave judgment against him, and
