[1763/1764]

 . . .I am now settled at Voltaire's House and am regretting the time I wasted in the neighbourhood before I came hither.

My Recommendations to him were such and from such Quarters as could not fail to procure me great Civilities, but I believe the real Friendliness and Cordiality of my Reception proceeds from his considering me as your Friend and he in shewing me part of the Attentions he wishes to shew you, he remembers every circumstances relating [to] you as if he had seen you yesterday and he loves you as if he saw you still. He has even been searching every corner of his memory to find your fellow Traveller the Doctor, but alas his Efforts have been in vain, such Little baubles like him are easily lost. You have no Idea of the Expense Voltaire is at here and what good he does. He is at once the King and the Father of the Country where he resides, He makes everybody about him happy and he is as good a Master of a Family as he is a Poet. His conversation is enchanting, if he was divided in two and one had to chuse between the Man one had read, and the Man one hears, I should be at a loss. His Editors may publish his books as often as they please, but his own Edition will always be the best. Madame Dennis, his Niece is here and Madame Dupui the Granddaughter of Corneille of whom you have heard so much. The first seems to have a great deal of natural Goodness and of the sort that one loves. The other is one of those common Figures and Characters of whom the less is said the better. His House is Charming and beautifully situated with a most magnificent Prospect. My Appartment is delightful. I only wish it were nearer yours, for I find it signifies nothing running away from you, I dont love you a bit the less and when I come back I shall love you if possible more. I have been to Geneva which is a large melancholy Town inhabited by People who dont want understanding or money and yet seem to make no use of either. I saw nothing pretty there but the Women, they have a dismal time of it, and are as tired as the Dead, and yet they deserve that somebody should help them to a little Amusement. I send you a sketch I made of Voltaire while he was losing a Game at Chess. It is very incorrect, because it was done in a hurry by Candlelight and thro' all the diabolic Faces which he never fails to make when he knows anybody is drawing his Picture, but I think I have hit off his general Character, which is the most essential. A Drawing had better be well begun than well finished by detail. You have no notion how amiable the old Man is in private, and if he was not one of the greatest Geniuses he would be one of the best Creatures in the world. I have seen him receive English, French, Italian and German Travellers who all find him equally well acquainted with their Country and its Literature. His Genius is too great to be contained within the Limits of his own Nation, it belongs to the whole Earth.

I believe he received from Heaven the Gift of Languages and in knowledge of Folio Volumes, for it is impossible to conceive when he could find the time to learn the first or read the last . . . .