ar."

_Arimazes_ went one Day to _Zadig's_ House, when he was walking in
his Garden with two Friends, and a young Lady, to whom he said
Abundance of fine Things, with no other Design but the innocent
Pleasure of saying them. Their Conversation turn'd on a War that the
King had happily put an End to, between him and his Vassal, the
Prince of _Hyrcania_. _Zadig_ having signaliz'd himself in that
short War, commended his Majesty very highly, but was more lavish of
his Compliments on the Lady. He took out his Pocket Book, and wrote
four extempore Verses on that Occasion, and gave them the Lady to
read. The Gentlemen then present begg'd to be oblig'd with a Sight
of them, as well as the Lady, But either thro' Modesty, or rather a
self-Consciousness that he hadn't happily succeeded, he gave them a
flat Denial. He was sensible, that a sudden poetic Flight must prove
insipid to every one but the Person in whose Favour it is written,
whereupon he snapt the Table in two whereon the Lines were wrote,
and threw both Pieces into a Rose-bush, where they were hunted for,
but to no Purpose. Soon after it happened to rain, and all the
Company flew into the House, but _Arimazes_. Notwithstanding the
Shower, he continued in the Garden, and never quitted it, till he
had found one Moiety of the Tablet, which was unfortunately broke in
such a Manner, that even the half Lines were good sense, and good
Metre, tho' very short. But what was still more remarkably
unfortunate, they appear'd at first View, to be a severe satyr upon
the King: The Words were these:

_To flagrant Crimes
His Crown he owes;
To peaceful Times
The worst of Foes._

This was the first Moment that ever _Arimazes_ was happy. He had it
now in his Power to ruin the most virtuous and innocent of Men. Big
with his execrable Joy, he flew to his Majesty with this virulent
Satyr of _Zadig's_ under his own Hand. Not only _Zadig_, but his two
Friends and the Lady were immediately close confin'd. His Cause was
soon over; for the Judges turn'd a deaf Ear to what he had to say.
When Sentence of Condemnation was pass'd upon him, _Arimazes_, still
spiteful, was heard to say, as he went out of Court, with an Air of
Contempt, that _Zadig's_ Lines were Treason indeed, but nothing
more. Tho' _Zadig_ didn't value himself o