pieces reprefent. It was precifely against the Ravaillacs and the Clements, this play was wrote, which made a very ingenious man fay, that, if it had been compofed in the time of Henry the third and Henry the fourth, it would have preferved their lives. Can fuch a reproach be made with any confidence to the author of the Henriade? He, who has fo often employed his pen in that poem, and elsewhere, not only against such wicked attempts, but even against every maxim that might have any fuch dangerous tendency.

I must own, the more I read the works of this author, the more they feem to me to be characterised by a love for the public good; above all, he infpires on every occafion, the greateft horror of the violences of rebellion, of perfe cution and fanaticifm. Is there any virtuous man or good fubject, who does not adopt all the maxims of the Henriade? does not this poem create in us a love for true virtue?

Mahomet feems to me to be wrote in the same spirit, and I dare fay its greatest enemies will now allow it.

He foon faw that a dangerous cabal was forming against him. The most violent had spoken to perfons in power, who, not having seen it acted, were obliged to trust to the accounts of others. The celebrated Moliere, the glory of France, was in the fame fituation, upon his Tartuffe's being acted *; he had recourse di

* As foon as this comedy was acted, the priests and devotees joined in an uproar against it, faying, it was cultivated to fatirife and ridicule religion and

The au

rectly to Lewis the great, to whom he was known, and by whom he was beloved. The authority of this monarch soon diffipated the finifter interpretations that were given of this co medy. But times are altered; the protection granted to arts entirely new, cannot be always continued; befides, one artist has an opportunity of obtaining with ease, what another cannot have without great difficulty. Other difcuffions, a new examination became necessary. thor thought it best to take back his tragedy him. felf, after the third representation, until time fhould appease prejudiced minds, which cannot fail happening in a nation fo ingenious and fo learned as the French. It was mentioned in the public papers, that the tragedy of Mahomet had been prohibited by the government. I can pofitively affert that nothing can be falfer. Not only, the least order was never given on that head, but the first perfons of the state did not vary an instant in the opinion they had entertained from the beginning, of the discretion and prudence with which the fubject was treated.

Some people having haftily copied several scenes during the representations, and having obtained from the actors a part or two, prefumed to give the clandeftine editions which have hi

devotion; though the perfonage attacked in the play, is fuppofed only to wear the mask of both. Moliere, by being valet de chambre to Lewis the fourteenth, and very well known to him, faved himself from the difgrace fuch powerful enemies threatened him with.

therto appeared. It is easy to perceive how very much they differ from the work itself, which I have had from undoubted authority, as well as the other pieces that are in the present edition. The most curious I take to be, the author's letter to the king of Pruffia, which he wrote in Holland, in his return from a visit he paid that monarch. It is in fuch letters, which were not intended for the prefs, that we may discover the real thoughts of men.

Amfterdam, this 18th

of November, 1742.

P. D. L. M.

On the SAME SUBJECT.

In a letter to his Majefty the King of

PRUSSIA.

I

SIRE,

Am at prefent like the pilgrims of Mecca, whofe eyes are turned back towards that object of their devotions, from the moment they leave it; mine are turned towards your court. My heart, full of the favours I have received from you, is penetrated with regret at not being able to live near your majesty.

I take the liberty to fend you a new copy of the tragedy of Mahomet, the first sketch of which I fubmitted to you fome years ago. It is a tribute I pay to the lover of the arts, to the learned judge, especially to the philofopher, much more than to the fovereign.

Your majefty is acquainted with the motives. that guided my pen, when I was writing this work. These motives were the love of mankind, and the horror of fanaticism, two virtues made to be ever prefent near your throne. I always thought that tragedy fhould not be a fin ple fpectacle, which affects, but not amends the heart.

Wha: fignify the paffions or misfor

tunes of the heroes of antiquity to the prefent race of men, if they do not contribute to our inftruction? It is allowed that the comedy of Tartuffe, this master-piece that no nation has equalled, has been of infinite service in fhewing hypocrify in its blackest colours. Why should it not be attempted in tragedy, to attack that species of imposture which fets in action the hypocrify of fome, and the enthusiastic rage of others? Why should not we trace it back to thofe criminal, though illuftrious founders of fuperftition and fanaticifm, who first took the knife from the altar, to make victims of those who refused to be their difciples? These who affert that the aera of fuch crimes is over, that we shall fee no more Barchocheba's, Mahomets, or Johns of Leyden, do too great honour, methinks, to human nature. The fame poifon still subsists, though less uncovered; this plague which appears ftifled, produces every now and then, anew, fome dire effects pernicious enough to infect the world. Have we not feen in our own days, the prophets of the Cevenes kill in God's name, fuch of their fect as were not fubmiffive to them?

The action I reprefent is attrocious, and I do not know that horror has been pushed farther on any stage. A youth naturally virtuous, feduced by his fanaticism, murders an old man that loves him, and in the idea of serving God, becomes guilty of parricide without knowing it. I 2

*Fanatic Hugonots in the mountainy parts of the province of Languedoc in France.