Geneva, 15th April 1776

… And now pray don't suppose me stupid enough to have passed a day at Geneva without going to Ferney to see — you know who.
Dare not mention names in case this letter should fall into certain hands, but upon the whole, in this as well as in most of my undertakings, have been remarkably fortunate, and to tell you the truth from what I have allways heard, and what I had here confirmed in regard to his shyness of seeing people, had hardly hopes of seeing any more than his house and garden. But to my great satisfaction, without giving myself or any body any trouble, met this prodigy walking in the garden alone, where, as you may be sure, not failing to pass quite near him [I] took a good phizz of him, when I found him the oldest, 82, most infirm and emaciated figure that I ever beheld, dressed in the same wig and kind of bonnet cap that we allways see him represented in, in busts, medals, prints, &c. Again, while I was in his library, in which he has a superb edition of his works, he came in from the garden, and passing thro' the room, he asked my pardon for leaving me alone, but that he found himself very far from well. In fact he had been very ill in the morning, and among other com[plaints] this miserable skeleton so bit with buggs as to be obliged to have his whole bed undone, in which state I saw it. What is remarkable is that the house is full of busts and pictures of him. In one room I observed one statue, one picture in crayons, another in sewing, besides a bust, upon the pedestal of which was written immortalis, but modestly enough a card announced its being given him by the King of Prussia, anno 1775, of whom I also saw here an original picture sent to Voltaire….