1732-01-15, de Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] à John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey.

[? January 1732]

Mylord,

J hope you have receiv'd the Book j had the honour to send yr lordship lately.
Now j take the liberty to present you a friend of mine who is certainly better than my book and much dearer to me.

J envy him the pleasure of waiting on yr lordship and j think my self banish'd and confined in to my own country when j reflect my friend will enjoy the honour of yr charming conversation. He is fully acquainted with the high sense of respect and gratitude which j entertain for yr lordship and mylady Hervey. He has seen already the pretty account of yr journey into Italy, which you favoured me with. J had once the Boldness to attempt a kind of translation of it or rather a loose imitation for french poetry is not strong enoug to stik closely to your.

Trhougout all Italy beside
What does one find, but want and pride,
Forces of superstitious folly,
Decay, distress and melancoly, etc.

There is my flat copy of this bold original.

Qu'ai-je donc vu dans l'Italie?
Orgeuil, astuce, et pauvreté,
Peu d'agrémens, moins de bonté,
Mais baucoup de Cérimonie:
L'extravagante comédie
Qu’à Rome l'inquisition
Veut qu'on nomme relligion
Mais qu'icy nous nommons folie.
La nature envain bienfaisante
Veut enrichir ces lieux charmants;
Des prêtres la main désolante
Etouffe ses plus baux présents;
Les monsignores soit disant grands
Seuls dans des palais magnifiques
Y sont d'illustres fainéants
Sans argent et sans domestiques.
Pour les petits, sans liberté,
Martirs du joug qui les domine,
Ils ont fait vœu de pauvreté,
Priant dieu par oisiveté
Et toujours jeunant par famine.
Ces saints lieux du papes bénis
Semblent gouvernez par des diables
Et les habitans misérables
Sont damnez dans le paradis.

Let not your lordship receive my friend coldly because my verses are perhaps very cold. My heart shall never by so for yr lordship, j'll nevre forgot mylord and mylady Harvey.

Pone me campis ubi nulla pigris
Arbor æstiva recreatur umbra
Dulce ridentes harveos amabo
Dulce loquentes,

that is to say j'll be for ever mylord and mylady, with the highest respect

yr most humble and obedient servant

Voltaire