Turin 15 Janry 1764
Sir,
When I took leave of you at Ferney, I asked your Corespondence and you most readily granted my request. I hope you granted it as a Philosopher and not as a Courtier. In short I hope you was in earnest. I now sit down to try. You will find me the same man in my letters that you found me in conversation, singular and agreable. Was it not so? You either liked me much, or you are the best Dissembler that ever lived. I am sure you was pleased to find a man that gave you no Flattery, of which you have had so much that it cannot fail to be insipid or disgusting to you. Many a high-seasoned ragout of Compliment has been served up to M. de Voltaire. The Learned and The Great of all nations in Europe have exerted their talents in this way. Surely you could give us a most humourous account of their different tastes. Did your appetite still continue you would be obliged to publish a reward to the inventor of a new mode of adulation. People accustomed to luxurious diet are delighted with the simplicity of a rural repast. In the same manner Mr de Voltaire tired of studied Flattery relished extremely the honest praise of a good Scots Laird. What I gave you was natural. It had neither spice nor perfume. It was fresh from the Dairy. It was Curds & Cream.
I reflect with great satisfaction on my spirited candour when we talked of Religion. I told you upon this occasion Sir, you are one Individual and I another. You may remember that I shewed no mean timidity, and while I maintained the immortality of my soul, did I not glow with a fire that had some appearance of being divine. I am exceedingly happy that I have had an important conversation with you Before that my admiration of your genius was obscured by the horror with which I had been taught to consider your character as a man. Had I not waited upon you at Ferney I should have had a very honest detestation of you while I lived. But Sir since that time I have thought of you very differently altho I am sincerely sorry at your being Prejudiced against the Doctrines of Consolation and Hope I shall ever esteem your humanity of feeling and generosity of sentiment. I know you must be changeable, But were not the general tenour of your mind excellent you could not have talked to me as you did during our serious evening. When I returned to Geneva I waited upon Doctor Tronchin and according to your desire I asked him if you had ever shewn those fears of death which the zealous orthodox have affirmed to be a certain proof of your insincerity. Doctor Tronchin assured me that you never had such fears. He said of you: Le plus qu'il se croit proche à la mort il devient le meilleur Déiste. I am now fully satisfied as to your character, & in my presence Falshood & Folly shall no longer blacken it. I have allready had more than one occasion of vindicating you. Your faults must be allowed but I will suffer no additions.
I told you that I had written down our important Conversation. It fills eight quarto Pages, & does you much honour. The famous Ben Johnson came down to Scotland to see my countryman Drummond of Hawthornden at whose seat he past some time in philosophical & witty intercourse. Drummond marked their conversation & afterwards published it among his work. Ben complained of this as unfair. Was he not in the wrong? Would it be unfair in me should I one day oblige the world with some of the most lively & noble effusions of an illustrious Authour? If you will really correspond with me you will do me much honour and I shall endeavour to entertain you as well as I can. I am &c.