ILL IN BERLIN; OR WHERE IN THE UNIVERSE IS HE? ALAS, POOR MAUPERTUIS!

In the heat of this Campaign, "July 27th,"--some four days after the
Battle of Zullichau, just while Friedrich was hurrying off for that
Intersection at Sagan, and breathless Hunt of Loudon and Haddick,--poor
Maupertuis had quitted this world. July 27th, 1759; at Basel, on the
Swiss Borders, in his friend Bernouilli's house, after long months of
sickness painfully spent there. And our poor Perpetual President, at
rest now from all his Akakia burns, and pains and labors in flattening
the Earth and otherwise, is gone.

Many beautifuler men have gone within the Year, of whom we can say
nothing. But this is one whose grandly silent, and then occasionally
fulminant procedures, Akakia controversies, Olympian solemnities and
flamy pirouettings under the contradiction of sinners, we once saw; and
think with a kind of human pathos that we shall see no more. From his
goose of an adorer, La Beaumelle, I have riddled out the following
particulars, chiefly chronological,--and offer them to susceptible
readers. La Beaumelle is, in a sort, to be considered the speaker; or La
Beaumelle and this Editor in concert.

FINAL PILGRIMAGE OF THE PERPETUAL PRESIDENT. "Maupertuis had quitted
Berlin soon after Voltaire. That threat of visiting Voltaire with
pistols,--to be met by 'my syringe and vessel of dishonor' on Voltaire's
part,--was his last memorability in Berlin. His last at that time; or
indeed altogether, for he saw little of Berlin farther.

"End of April, 1753, he got leave of absence; set out homewards,
for recovery of health. Was at Paris through summer and autumn: very
taciturn in society; 'preferred pretty women to any man of science;'
would sententiously say a strong thing now and then, 'bitter but not
without BONHOMIE,' shaking slightly his yellow wig. Disdainful, to how
high a degree, of AKAKIA brabbles, and Voltaire gossip for or against!
In winter went to St. Malo; found his good Father gone; but a loving
Sister still there.

"June, 1754, the King wrote to him, 'VENEZ VITE, Come quickly:' July,
1754, he came accordingly, [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ xx. 49.] saw Berlin
again; did nothing noticeable there, except get worse in health; and
after eleven months, June, 1756, withdrew again on leave,--never to
return this time, though he well intended otherwise. But at St. Malo,
when, after a month or two of Paris, he got thither (Autumn, 1756),
and still more,