Geneva, Aug^st18, 1765

Dear S^r,

I am just come from Mons^r Voltaire's, & can give you the fullest assurance that neither your Letter nor any other part of your Conduct has given him the least Umbrage: There was no company at dinner but myself; his Nieces & Nephews talk'd more & louder than other Men & Women usually do in France; however, I every now & then, as I sat next to him, got hold of his ears, & our chief Topick was our English Actor: When I signified to him that I should write this Evening to M^r Garrick, & that it would be the greatest pleasure I could do you, to say he was in good health: No S^r, said he, do not write an untruth; but tell him, Je suis plein d'estime pour lui.
— When I represented how mortified you was, in having lost the opportunity of paying him your respects, his answer was such, that I am persuaded you never offended. — All the Conversation turned on a Tragedy represented at his own Theatre last Friday Evening: unfortunately for us the night of our Arrival. Madamoiselle Clairon, the subject of their Applause, left him this morning to visit some Friend so that I shall not have the pleasure of seeing her: in about six days she sets out for Provence; Antonio however waited on her yesterday, & made some proper Apology, in answer to her complaints against you for not writing. I confess to you, though I am conscious of her merit, I never was so fatigu'd with Panegyrick; the women scream'd & acted & stared so violently in repeating the fine passages — Voltaire sat placid, every now & then either nodding or speaking his approbation. At length one of the Ladies asserted in contradiction to the other, that it happened in the course of five acts, that Madam Clairon was not equally excellent, & an appeal was made to their Uncle; he turn'd to me & said, his answer should be the same that Madame Dacier gave to a critick who pointed out to her a real sottise in Homer: ah Monsieur, dit elle, ce n'est que divin. — The story is not the best Voltaire ever told: but I will tell you one: He wept in recollecting & repeating Clairon's manner of asking, Où est ma Mère? To conclude, he had been all the morning busy in composing an Epitre to Madame Clairon, which he read in the rough draught with wonderful Vigeur & Emphasis, but at the same time with a Tone & accent so different from those of the English, that I have no doubt that was you to repeat any Passage of Shakespear before the same assembly, they would feel but little pleasure from your recital. — Sick as I was of all the Praise I heard this afternoon, it revived my spirits to be told by Voltaire, that when Mad^e Clairon was sent to Prison you made her an offer of five hundred Louis; & I was not a little flattered to see him turn round to the company & ask them if there was a Duk or a Mareschel in France, generous & honourable enough to do such an action.

Wilks is here: very busy: writing & printing some things which I hope his Friends will prevent him from publishing. I am his well wisher, & could wish he was not quite so zealous — such Zeal may tend to the good of Mankind, as Martyrdom advances Religion; but I should be sorry that my Brother or David Garrick were the Instruments in either case. — Antonio continues to be an honest, worthy & sensible conductor to my daughters & Me. — He flatters us you may possibly give us a rendevouz at Paris next May; I will not attempt to tell you how much such an event would delight us. Should the scheme take place, we will endeavour to accommodate our return to your arrival at Paris. — I happen'd at dinner to assign as one reason why you would act no more, that our Theatre was over-run with sing song. His Eyes sparkled at the indignation I expressed, & I found afterwards it was from the similarity of the two nations; for this charge makes the subject of some lines in his Epitre to Madame Clairon. Voltaire thought his Theatre would hold but 50 Persons, & they crouded in 120: he is going to enlarge it so much, as to admitt an Audience of 200 or 250. My Daughters present their respects & Complimen^ts to M^rs Garrick. I am s^r your most sincere Friend & Humble serv^t

Sam^l Sharp