VOLTAIRE AND THE BURGOMASTER

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12, 25 March 1909, Page 477

VOLTAIRE AND THE BURGOMASTER

Voltair,e was one day dining with the King of Prussia in his castle at .Cloves.- During the repast- the French atheist, as was his wont, lost no opportunity of scoffing at religion and its votaries. The guests listened at first in silence, but at last one of them, a stout burgomaster, filled with righteous indignation at hearing all he held most sacred thus turned into ridicules-could restrain himself no longer. , ' AS' f or me,' Voltaire was saying in a, sneering tone, ' I would sell my place in heaven for a Prussian thaler.' ' Monsieur de Voltaire,' observed the burgomaster, f in Prussia we never buy costly- goods without feeling sure of the owner's right to them.- If you can prove your right to a place in heaven I - will buy it for the sum of ten thousand thaler s.' „ ' Bravo,, burgomaster 1' cried Frederic the Second, who," although he shared many of Voltaire's - opinions, could not help enjoying his discomfiture.. For once the quick-witted atheist had no reply.