A very cold and empty portion, this, of the Friedrich
Correspondence; standing there to testify what his admiration was
for literary talent, or the great reputation of such; but in
itself uninstructive utterly, and of freezing influence on the now
living mind. Most of those French lights of the then firmament are
gone out. Forgotten altogether; or recognized, like Rollin and
others, for polished dullards, university big-wigs, and long-
winded commonplace persons, deserving nothing but oblivion.
To Montesquieu,--not yet called "Baron de Montesquieu" with ESPRIT
DES LOIS, but "M. de Secondat" with (Anonymous) LETTRES PERSANES,
and already known to the world for a person of sharp audacious
eyesight,--it does not appear that Friedrich addressed any Letter,
now or afterwards. No notice of Montesquieu; nor of some others,
the absence of whom is a little unexpected. Probably it was want
of knowledge mainly; for his appetite was not fastidious at this
time. And certainly he did hit the centre of the mark, and get
into the very kernel of French literature, when, in 1736, hardly
yet established in his new quarters, he addressed himself to the
shining figure known to us as "Arouet Junior" long since, and now
called M. DE VOLTAIRE; which latter is still a name notable in
Friedrich's History and that of Mankind. Friedrich's first Letter,
challenging Voltaire to correspondence, dates itself 8th August,
1736; and Voltaire's Answer--the Reinsberg Household still only in
its second month--was probably the brightest event which had yet
befallen there.

On various accounts it will behoove us to look a good deal more
strictly into this Voltaire; and, as his relations to Friedrich
and to the world are so multiplex, endeavor to disengage the real
likeness of the man from the circumambient noise and confusion