The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) [1751]
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The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc. Voltaire, The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) [1751] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 was the 50th anniversary year of the founding of Liberty Fund. It is part of the Online Library of Liberty web site http://oll.libertyfund.org, which was established in 2004 in order to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. To find out more about the author or title, to use the site's powerful search engine, to see other titles in other formats (HTML, facsimile PDF), or to make use of the hundreds of essays, educational aids, and study guides, please visit the OLL web site. 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Vol. XII. Author: Voltaire Translator: William F. Fleming About This Title: Taken from the 21 volume 1901 edition of the Complete Works, this is one of Voltaire’s pioneering works of history. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 2 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2132 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) About Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright Information: The text is in the public domain. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 3 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2132 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) Table Of Contents The Works of Voltaire Voltaire Age of Louis XIV. Vol. Xii—part I Introduction to the Age of Louis XIV. Chapter I.: The States of Europe Before Louis XIV. Chapter II.: Minority of Louis XIV.—THE Victories of the French Under the Great Conde, Then Duke of Enghien. Chapter III.: The Civil War. Chapter IV.: Continuation of the Civil War, Till the End of the Rebellion In 1654. Chapter V.: France, Till the Death of Cardinal Mazarin, 1661. Chapter VI.: Louis XIV. Governs Alone—he Obliges the Spanish Branch of the House of Austria to Yield Him the Precedency Everywhere, and the Court of Rome to Give Him Satisfaction—he Purchases Dunkirk, Sends Aid to the Emperor, the Dutch, and the Portugues Chapter VII.: The Conquest of Flanders. Chapter VIII.: Conquest of Franche-comtÉ—peace of Aix-la-chapelle. Chapter IX.: Magnificence of Louis XIV.—CONQUEST Of Holland. Chapter X.: Holland Evacuated—franchÉ-comte Conquered a Second Time. Chapter XI.: The Glorious Campaign and Death of Marshal Turenne. Chapter XII.: From the Death of Turenne Till the Peace of Nimeguen, In 1678. Chapter XIII.: The Taking of Strasburg—the Bombarding of Algiers—the Submission of the Genoese—the Embassy From the Emperor of Siam—the Pope Braved In Rome—the Succession to the Electorate of Cologne Disputed. Chapter XIV.: James II. Of England Dethroned By His Son-in-law, William III., And Protected By Louis XIV. Chapter XV.: The Continent While William III. Was Invading England, Scotland, and Ireland, Till the Year 1697—burning of the Palatinate—victories of Marshals Catinat and Luxembourg. Chapter XVI.: Treaty With Savoy—marriage of the Duke of Burgundy—peace of Ryswick—state of France and Europe—death and Last Will of Charles II., King of Spain. Voltaire Age of Louis XIV. Vol. Xii—part Ii Chapter XVII.: The War of 1701—conduct of Prince Eugene, Marshal Villeroi, the Duke of VendÔme, the Duke of Marlborough, and Marshal Villars; Until the Year 1703. Chapter XVIII.: Loss of the Battle of HÖchstÄdt, Or Blenheim. Chapter XIX.: Losses In Spain—the Battles of Ramillies and Turin, and Their Consequences. Chapter XX.: Losses of the French and Spaniards Continued—louis XIV. Humbled; His Perseverance and Resources—battle of Malplaquet. Chapter XXI.: Louis XIV. Continues to Solicit Peace, and to Defend Himself—the Duke of VendÔme Secures the King of Spain On His Throne. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 4 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2132 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) Chapter XXII.: Victory Gained By Marshal Villars At Denain—the Affairs of France Retrieved—the General Peace. Chapter XXIII.: Private Anecdotes of the Reign of Louis XIV. Notes to Chapter XXIII. Chapter XXIV.: Anecdotes Continued. Notes to Chapter XXIV. Chapter XXV.: Additional Memoirs. Notes to Chapter XXV. Chapter XXVI.: Last Years of Louis XIV. Notes On Chapter XXVI. Chapter XXVII.: Government, Commerce, Laws, Military Discipline, Under Louis XIV. Chapter XXVIII.: Finance Under Louis XIV. Chapter XXIX.: Progress of the Sciences. Chapter XXX.: The Polite Arts In Europe At the Time of Louis XIV. Chapter XXXI.: The Children of Louis XIV.—THE Sovereign Princes Contemporary With Him—his Generals and Ministers. Chapter XXXII.: Celebrated Artists and Musicians. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 5 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2132 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) [Back to Table of Contents] The WORKS Of VOLTAIRE “Between two servants of Humanity, who appeared eighteen hundred years apart, there is a mysterious relation. * * * * Let us say it with a sentiment of profound respect: JESUS WEPT: VOLTAIRE SMILED. Of that divine tear and of that human smile is composed the sweetness of the present civilization.” VICTOR HUGO. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 6 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2132 Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Voltaire, Vol. XII (Age of Louis XIV) [Back to Table of Contents] Voltaire Age Of Louis XIV. Vol. XII—Part I INTRODUCTION TO THE AGE OF LOUIS XIV. It is not only the life of Louis XIV. that we propose to write; we have a greater object in view. We mean to set before posterity not only the portrait of one man’s actions but that of the spirit of mankind in general, in the most enlightened of all ages. Every age has produced heroes and politicians; all nations have experienced revolutions, and all histories are nearly alike to those who seek only to furnish their memories with facts; but whosoever thinks, or, what is still more rare, whosoever has taste, will find but four ages in the history of the world. These four happy ages are those in which the arts were carried to perfection, and which, by serving as the era of the greatness of the human mind, are examples for posterity. The first of these ages to which true glory is annexed is that of Philip and Alexander, or that of a Pericles, a Demosthenes, an Aristotle, a Plato, an Apelles, a Phidias, and a Praxiteles; and this honor has been confined within the limits of ancient Greece; the rest of the known world was then in a state of barbarism. The second age is that of Cæsar and Augustus, distinguished by the names of Lucretius, Cicero, Titus, Livius, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Varro, and Vitruvius. The third is that which followed the taking of Constantinople by Mahomet II. Then a family of private citizens was seen to do that which the kings of Europe should have undertaken. The Medici invited to Florence the learned, who had been driven out of Greece by the Turks; this was the age of Italy’s glory. The polite arts had already recovered a new life in that country; the Italians honored them with the title of “Vertu,” as the first Greeks had distinguished them by the name of Wisdom. Everything tended toward perfection; a Michelangelo, a Raphael, a Titian, a Tasso, and an Ariosto flourished. The art of engraving was invented; elegant architecture appeared again as admirable as in the most triumphant ages of Rome; and the Gothic barbarism, which had disfigured Europe in every kind of production, was driven from Italy to make way for good taste. The arts, always transplanted from Greece to Italy, found themselves in a favorable soil, where they instantly produced fruit. France, England, Germany, and Spain aimed in their turn to gather these fruits; but either they could not live in those climates, or else they degenerated very rapidly. Francis I. encouraged learned men, but such as were merely learned men; he had architects, but he had no Michelangelo, nor Palladio; he endeavored in vain to establish schools for painting; the Italian masters, whom he invited to France, raised no pupils there.