Voltaire was now far advanced in years, and having spent eleven years, chiefly devoted to lite rary pursuits at Ferney, he resolved, from some trifling causes, to pay a visit to Paris. His re ception on the way and on his arrival at that capital constitute a noble tribute to intellectual superiority and literary distinction, and must have been unspeakably delightful to the venerable phi losopher. The most renowned conquerors were never received with greater honour. He was even crowned publicly with laurel in the theatre on the representation of Irene, one of his dramatic com positions. But this extraordinary exhibition was the cause of shortening his days, already far ad vanced. He never recovered from the fatigue and excitement consequent upon it, together with the bustle of receiving the numerous distinguished visitors, and of conversing with them. He was seized with spitting of blood, and his spirits and strength being very much exhausted, he took so large a quantity of a sudorific draught that he slept for forty-eight hours: shortly after he awoke, and after saying to his valet de chambre, whose hand he grasped, Adieu, mon eher Je me meurs, he expired without a groan or a struggle. This
event took place on the 30th of May 1778, in the 85th year of his age.
He died unmarried. His writings were equally miscellaneous and numerous, including poetry, the drama, history, philosophy, romance, Er.c. and ex tending to no fewer than sixty volumes octavo, according to the recent edition of Renouard. They are more specious and brilliant than solid or correct. He was a violent enemy to the Christian faith; but all his attacks and irony on this subject, though they unfortunately had a temporary effect, particularly in his native country, have now lost their power, and the doctrines of the gospel stand on ground as high as before. His wit, his irony, his sarcasm, his speciousness were unrivalled: but he was not a deep thinker, and he has thrown no new light on any subject. The Lives of Voltaire are very numerous, but that published by his secre taries Longchamp and \Vagniere, at Paris, in two volumes in 1826, is the best. See also The Foreign Review, vol. iii. pp. for an able analysis of his genius and character. Respecting the best editions of his works, see Dibdin's Library com panion, pp. T. M.