kind, occur in regard to this
Eleventh Article; which is a just one, beyond doubt, but most carelessly
drawn up. Apparently it trusts altogether to the personal honesty of all
Prussian subjects: 'Prove yourself a Prussian subject, and we pay your
Steuer-Schein in real money.' But now if a Saxon or other Non-Prussian,
who can get no payment save in paper, were to have his Note smuggled or
trafficked over into Prussia, and presented as a Prussian one? In our
time, such traffic would start on the morrow morning; and in a week or
two, all Notes whatsoever would be presented as Prussian, payable in
gold! Not so in those days;--though a small contraband of that kind does
by degrees threaten to establish itself, and Friedrich had to publish
severe rescripts (one before this Hirsch-Voltaire business, [10th
August, 1748 (Seyfarth, i. 62).] one still severer after), and menace
it down again. The malpractice seems to have proved menaceable in that
manner; nor was any new arrangement made upon it,--no change, till the
Steuer-Scheine, by their gradual terms, were all paid either in real
money or imaginary, and thus, in the course of years, the thing burnt to
the socket, and went out."

Voltaire's rash Adventure, dangerous Navigation and gradual Wreck,
in this Forbidden Sea of Steuer-Scheine,--will become conceivable to
readers, on study diligent enough of the following Documents and select
Details:--

DOCUMENT FIRST (a small Missive, in Voltaire's hand).

"Je prie instamment monsieur hersch de venir demain mardi matin a
potsdam pour affaire pressante, et d'aporter (SIC) avec luy les diamants
qui doivent servir pour la representation de la tragedie qui se jouera a
cinq heures de soir chez S.A.R. Monseigneur le Prince henri Ce lundy a
midy. VOLTAIRE."

Which being interpreted, rightly spelt, and dated (as by chance we can
do) with distinctness, will run as follows in English:--

"POTSDAM, Monday, 9th November, 1750. "I earnestly request Mr. Hirsch to
come to-morrow Tuesday morning to Potsdam, on business that is urgent;
and to bring with him the Diamonds needed for the Tragedy which is to
be represented, at five in the evening, in His Royal Highness Prince
Henry's Apartment." [Klein, v. 260.]

"On Tuesday the 10th," say the Old Newspapers, "was ROME SAUVEE;"--with
Voltaire, perceptible there as "CICERON," [Rodenbeck, i. 209.] in due
A glorious enough Cicero;--and such a piece of "urgent business" done
with your Hirsch, jus