The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• The Works of Voltaire
• The Dramatic Works of Voltaire Vol. X— Part I
• ZaÏre
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• An Epistle Dedicatory to Mr. Falkener, an English Merchant, Since Ambassador At Constantinople, With the Tragedy of Zaïre.
• A Second Letter to Mr. Falkener, Then Ambassador to Constantinople.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• CÆsar.
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• The Prodigal
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Preface to Mariamne.
• Preface to Orestes.
• Preface to Catiline.
• Preface to MÉrope.
• Preface to the Prodigal.
• Preface to Nanine.
• 1 Preface to Socrates.
• Note On Mahomet.
• Preface to Julius CÆsar.
• Voltaire the Lisbon Earthquake and Other Poems Vol. X— Part Ii
• Author’s Preface to the Lisbon Earthquake.
• The Lisbon Earthquake. *
• Preface to the Poem On the Law of Nature.
• The Law of Nature.
• The Temple of Taste. *
• The Temple of Friendship.
• Thoughts On the Newtonian Philosophy, Addressed to the Marchioness Du ChÂtelet.
• On the Death of Adrienne Lecouvreur, a Celebrated Actress.
• To the King of Prussia On His Accession to the Throne.
• From Love to Friendship.
• The Worldling. *
• On Calumny.
• The King of Prussia to M. Voltaire.
• The Answer.
• On the English Genius.
• What Pleases the Ladies.
• The Education of a Prince.
• The Education of a Daughter.
• The Three Manners.
• Thelema and Macareus.
• Azolan.
• The Origin of Trades.
• The Battle of Fontenoy.
• The Man of the World. *
• The Padlock. *
• In Camp Before Philippsburg, July 3, 1734.
• Answer to a Lady, Or a Person Who Wrote to Voltaire As Such. *
• Envy.
• The Nature of Virtue.
• To the King of Prussia.
• To M. De Fontenelle.
• To Count Algarotti At the Court of Saxony.
• To Cardinal Quirini.
• To Her Royal Highness, the Princess of ***.
• To M. De Cideville.
• To ****.
• Epistle XIII. *
• To the Duke of Richelieu, Marshal of France, In Whose Honor the Senate of Genoa Had Just Before Caused a Statue to Be Erected. *
• To Madam De ***, On the Manner of Living At Paris and Versailles.
• To the Prince of Vendôme.
• To Madam De Gondoin, Afterward Countess of Toulouse, On the Danger She Had Been Exposed to In Passing the Loire In 1719.
• To the Duke Delafeuillade.
• To Marshal Villars. *
• To Monsieur Genonville.
• To the Countess of Fontaine-martel. *
• Written From PlombiÉres to M. Pallu, Intendant of Lyons.
• The Nature of Pleasure.
• The Utility of Sciences to Princes. to the Prince Royal of Prussia, Since King of Prussia.
• Epistle In Answer to a Letter, With Which, Upon His Accession to the Throne, the King of Prussia Honored the Author.
• Epistle to the King, Presented to His Majesty At the Camp Before Freiburg.
• On the Death of the Emperor Charles.
• To the Queen of Hungary.
• Inscribed to the Gentlemen of the Academy of Sciences, Who Sailed to the Polar Circle and the Equator, In Order to Ascertain the Figure of the Earth.
• To M. De Gervasi, the Physician. *
• The Requisites to Happiness.
• To a Lady, Very Well Known to the Whole Town.
• Fanaticism. *
• On Peace Concluded In 1736.
• To AbbÉ Chaulieu. *
• Answer to the Foregoing.
• To President HÉnault, Author of an Excellent Work Upon the History of France.
• Canto of an Epic Poem. *
• Epistle On the Newtonian Philosophy. * to the Marchioness of ChÂtelet.

TO THE QUEEN OF HUNGARY.

• • Princess, descended from that noble race
  • Which still in danger held the imperial throne,
  • Who human nature and thy sex dost grace,
  • Whose virtues even thy foes are forced to own.
• • The generous French, as fierce as they’re polite,
  • Who to true glory constantly aspire;
  • Whilst obstinately they against thee fight,
  • Thy virtue and great qualities admire.
• • The French and Germans leagued by wondrous ties,
  • Make Christendom one dismal scene of woe;
  • And from their friendship greater ills arise,
  • Than e’er did from their longest quarrels flow.
• • Thus from the equator and the frozen pole,
  • The impetuous winds drive on with headlong force
  • Two clouds, which as they on each other roll,
  • Forth from their sable skirts the thunder force.
• • Do virtuous kings such ruin then ordain?
  • A calm they promise, but excite a storm:
  • Felicity we hope for from their reign,
  • Whilst they with slaughter dire the earth deform.
• • Oh! Fleury, wise and venerable sage,
  • Whom good ne’er dazzles, danger ne’er alarms;
  • Who dost exceed the ancient Nestor’s age:
  • Must Europe never cease to be in arms?
• • Would thou couldst hold with prudent, steady hand,
  • Europa’s balance, shut up Janus’ shrine;
  • Make feuds and discords cease at thy command,
  • And bring from heaven Astrea, maid divine.
• • Would France’s treasures were dispersed no more,
  • But prudently within the realm applied;
  • Opulence to our cities to restore,
  • And make them flourishing on every side.
• • You arts from heaven, and from the muses sprung,
  • Whom Louis brought triumphant into France;
  • Too long your hands are idle, lyres unstrung,
  • ’Tis time to start from so profound a trance.
• • Your labors are of lasting glory sure,
  • Whilst warlike pomps, the triumphs of a day,
  • Blaze for a moment, never long endure,
  • But soon like fleeting shadows pass away.