hings of a celebrated nature, famous at home and
abroad: but his peculiar feat, which had commended him at Reinsberg, was
an Edition of HORACE: exquisite old FLACCUS brought to perfection, as it
were; all done with vignettes, classical borderings, symbolic marginal
ornaments, in fine taste and accuracy, the Text itself engraved; all by
the exquisite burin of Pine. ["London, 1737" (_Biographie Universelle,_
xxxiv. 465).] This Edition had come out last year, famous over the
world; and was by and by, as rumor bore, to be followed by a VIRGIL done
in the like exquisite manner.

The Pine HORACE, part of the Pine VIRGIL too, still exist in the
libraries of the curious; and are doubtless known to the proper parties,
though much forgotten by others of us. To Friedrich, scanning the Pine
phenomenon with interest then brand-new, it seemed an admirable tribute
to classical genius; and the idea occurred to him, "Is not there, by
Heaven's blessing, a living genius, classical like those antique Romans,
and worthy of a like tribute?" Friedrich's idea was, That Voltaire being
clearly the supreme of Poets, the HENRIADE, his supreme of Poems, ought
to be engraved like FLACCUS; text and all, with vignettes, tail-pieces,
classical borderings beautifully symbolic and exact; by the exquisite
burin of Pine. Which idea the young hero-worshipper, in spite of his
finance-difficulties, had resolved to realize; and was even now busy
with it, since his return from Loo. "Such beautiful enthusiasm," say
some readers; "and in behalf of that particular demi-god!" Alas, yes; to
Friedrich he was the best demi-god then going; and Friedrich never had
any doubt about him.

For the rest, this heroic idea could not realize itself; and we
are happy to have nothing more to do with Pine or the HENRIADE.
Correspondences were entered into with Pine, and some pains taken:
Pine's high prices were as nothing; but Pine was busy with his VIRGIL;
probably, in fact, had little stomach for the HENRIADE; "could not for
seven years to come enter upon it:" so that the matter had to die away;
and nothing came of it but a small DISSERTATION, or Introductory Essay,
which the Prince had got ready,--which is still to be found printed
in Voltaire's Works [_OEuvres, xiii. 393-402._] and in Friedrich's, if
anybody now cared much to read it. Preuss says it was finished, "the
10th August, 1739;" and that minute fact in Chronology, with the above
tale of Hero-worship hanging to it, wi