who from time to time appear for the gospel of Freedom. I am not virtuous enough to be able to attach myself to this party, but I hate vice too much to ever make war on it.
Injustice, however, is done to Voltaire should any one assert that he was not as fully inspired as Rousseau; he was only more crafty and clever. Heavy unskilfulness always takes refuge in stoicism, and growls laconically at seeing adroitness in others. Alfieri reproaches Voltaire because he wrote against great men, while he always carried the candle before them like a chamberlain. The gloomy Piedmontese never observed that Voltaire, while he carried the candle as a servant before the great, at the same time lit up their nakedness. Yet I will by no means acquit Voltaire from the reproach of flattery; he and the greater portion of the learned men of France crept like spaniels to the feet of the nobles, and licked the golden spurs, and smiled when they wounded their tongues on them or were trampled under foot. Yet when small dogs are kicked they suffer as much as great hounds. The secret hatred of French scholars against the great must have been the more terrible because in addition to the kicks they also received from them many benefits.[1] Garat relates of Champfort that he
- ↑ In allusion to the common saying that our bitterest foes are those whom we have benefited. "Tu omnium ingratissimé pro
