mildred_of_midgard: Oh, speaking of which, the author of this book would have me believe that Voltaire was advocating for Diderot and company to take refuge not just in Cleves in 1766, but in *Potsdam*...in 1758.
Nope...? I'm not sure of the context behind what Voltaire is writing here, but it evidently doesn't include any idea for refuge in Potsdam. Here's the part of the 13th of February 1758 letter pertaining to Diderot:
[Talks about Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopédie and then...] "If you were still in the guards, is it not true that you would have arrested this Father Chaplain who preaches like the other Chaplain wrote verses, and who has the insolence to condemn before the king, a book bearing the seal of the King? These scoundrels there may be right to cry out against the truth, and to sound the alarm when their enemy is at the gates; but we are not right to endure their impertinent and punishable clamor.
This is the time when all philosophers should come together. Fanatics and rascals form large battalions, and scattered philosophers allow themselves to be beaten in detail; they are slaughtered one by one, and while they are under the knife, they fall out together and lend arms to the common enemy. D'Alembert does well to quit, and the others are cowardly to continue. If you have any credit on Diderot and others, you will take the action of a great general to urge them all to join together, to walk closely, to demand justice, and not to resume the work until they have obtained what they must be given: justice, and honest freedom. It is infamous to work on such a work as one paddles in the galleys. It seems to me that the exhortations of a man like you must carry weight."
On a miscellaneous note, from the same letter, Voltaire hates physics: "Besides, I hardly see anything but charlatanism; and except the discoveries of Newton and two or three others, everything is an absurd system."
I did find Voltaire writing about Fritz to the Count de Tressan on the 12th January 1759:
"Put me, please, at the feet of the King of Poland. He does good to men as much as he can. The King of Prussia does more verses, and more harm to mankind. He told me the other day that I was happier than him. Really I believe it."
But aside from that, not much else related to Prussia. Their correspondence is more Poland related.
Edit: Damn, just noticed Felis answered this one. Whelp, at least there's an English translation lol
Re: Diderot and Catherine
Nope...? I'm not sure of the context behind what Voltaire is writing here, but it evidently doesn't include any idea for refuge in Potsdam. Here's the part of the 13th of February 1758 letter pertaining to Diderot:
[Talks about Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopédie and then...] "If you were still in the guards, is it not true that you would have arrested this Father Chaplain who preaches like the other Chaplain wrote verses, and who has the insolence to condemn before the king, a book bearing the seal of the King? These scoundrels there may be right to cry out against the truth, and to sound the alarm when their enemy is at the gates; but we are not right to endure their impertinent and punishable clamor.
This is the time when all philosophers should come together. Fanatics and rascals form large battalions, and scattered philosophers allow themselves to be beaten in detail; they are slaughtered one by one, and while they are under the knife, they fall out together and lend arms to the common enemy. D'Alembert does well to quit, and the others are cowardly to continue. If you have any credit on Diderot and others, you will take the action of a great general to urge them all to join together, to walk closely, to demand justice, and not to resume the work until they have obtained what they must be given: justice, and honest freedom. It is infamous to work on such a work as one paddles in the galleys. It seems to me that the exhortations of a man like you must carry weight."
On a miscellaneous note, from the same letter, Voltaire hates physics: "Besides, I hardly see anything but charlatanism; and except the discoveries of Newton and two or three others, everything is an absurd system."
I did find Voltaire writing about Fritz to the Count de Tressan on the 12th January 1759:
"Put me, please, at the feet of the King of Poland. He does good to men as much as he can. The King of Prussia does more verses, and more harm to mankind. He told me the other day that I was happier than him. Really I believe it."
But aside from that, not much else related to Prussia. Their correspondence is more Poland related.
Edit: Damn, just noticed Felis answered this one. Whelp, at least there's an English translation lol