the sage Plato of the Eighteenth Century and his Tyrant Dionysius
correspond, and what their manners are to one another, it may long have
a kind of interest to mankind: otherwise it has not much left.

In Friedrich's History it was, no doubt, an important fact, that there
lived a Voltaire along with him, twenty years his senior. With another
Theory of the Universe than the Voltaire one, how much OTHER had
Friedrich too been! But the Theory called by Voltaire's name was
not properly of Voltaire's creating, but only of his uttering and
publishing; it lay ready for everybody's finding, and could not well
have been altogether missed by such a one as Friedrich. So that perhaps
we exaggerate the effects of Voltaire on him, though undoubtedly they
were considerable. Considerable; but not derived from this express
correspondence, which seldom turns on didactic points at all; derived
rather from Voltaire's Printed WORKS, where they lay derivable to
all the world. Certain enough it is, Voltaire was at this time,
and continued all his days, Friedrich's chief Thinker in the world;
unofficially, the chief Preacher, Prophet and Priest of this Working
King;--no better off for a spiritual Trismegistus was poor Friedrich in
the world! On the practical side, Friedrich soon outgrew him,--perhaps
had already outgrown, having far more veracity of character, and an
intellect far better built in the silent parts of it, and trained too
by hard experiences to know shadow from substance;--outgrew him,
and gradually learned to look down upon him, occasionally with much
contempt, in regard to the practical. But in all changes of humor
towards Voltaire, Friedrich, we observe, considers him as plainly
supreme in speculative intellect; and has no doubt but, for thinking
and speaking, Nature never made such another. Which may be taken as
a notable feature of Friedrich's History; and gives rise to passages
between Voltaire and him, which will make much noise in time coming.

Here, meanwhile, faithfully presented though in condensed form, is the
starting of the Correspondence; First Letter of it, and first Response.
Two Pieces which were once bright as the summer sunrise on both sides,
but are now fallen very dim; and have much needed condensation, and
abridgment by omission of the unessential,--so lengthy are they, so
extinct and almost dreary to us! Sublime "Wolf" and his "Philosophy,"
how he was hunted out of Halle with it, long since; and now shine