zerland, especially at Basel, where he
judged the chance might lie; but that of this particular Letter
nothing has come to light; that he has two other Leibnitz Letters, of
indifferent tenor, in the late Henzi's hand, if these will serve in
aught, [--Maupertuisiana,--No. iv. 155; and ib. 172-192, the two Letters
themselves.]--but what farther can he do?' In short, Konig speaks always
in a clear business-like manful tone; the one person that makes a really
respectful and respectable figure in this Controversy of the Infinitely
Little. A man whom, viewed from this quiet distance, it seems almost
inconceivably absurd to have suspected of forging for so small an
object. Oh, my President, that DIRA REGNANDI CUPIDO!--

"Question is, however, What the Academy will do? One Member, 'the best
Geometer among them' [whose name is not given, but which the Berlin
Academy should write in big letters across this sad Page of their
Annals, by way of erasure to the same], dissented from the high line
of procedure; asserting Konig's innocence in this matter; nay, hinting
agreement with Konig's opinion. But was met by such a storm, that he
withdrew from the deliberations; which henceforth went their own bad
course, unanimous though slow. And so the matter pendulates all through
Winter, 1751-52, and was much the theme of idle men."

Voltaire heard of it vaguely all along; but not with distinctness till
the end of July following. As Spring advanced, Maupertuis had fallen
ill of lungs,--threatened with spitting of blood ("owing to excess of
brandy," hints the malicious Voltaire, "which is fashionable at St.
Malo," birthplace of Maupertuis),--and could not farther direct the
Academy in this affair. The Academy needs no direction farther. Here,
very soon, for a sick President's consolation, is what the Academy
decides on, by way of catastrophe:--

THURSDAY EVENING, 13th APRIL, 1752, The Academy met; Curator Monsieur
de Keith, presiding; about a score of acting Members present. To whom
Curator de Keith, as the first thing, reads a magnanimous brief Letter
from our Perpetual President: "That, for two reasons, he cannot attend
on this important occasion: First, because he is too ill, which would
itself be conclusive; but secondly, and A FORTIORI, because he is in
some sense a party to the cause, and ought not if he could." Whereupon,
Secretary Formey having done his Documentary flourishings, Curator
Euler--(great in Algebra, apparently not very g