Voltaire in Love by Nancy Mitford Page A

discoveries of Newton and the philosophical teaching of Locke. There were few people in Paris with whom he could discuss such matters, certainly no woman except Émilie. The French academic scientists were still Cartesians and looked with the greatest suspicion at the new ideas from England. Émilie, however, young, ardent, with a brilliant scientific mind, not only understood what he was talking about but was quite ready to be convinced by his arguments. She loved to learn; the tutor-pupil aspect of their relationship was not the least of its charms in the eyes of both. Voltaire was gratified, too, by her rank and the enormous privileges which she enjoyed at Court. He was never insensible to such trivia, least of all now. It was soothing to his pride that a woman of genuine social importance should become his mistress. His love-affairs had hitherto been rather insignificant, but he had never been without one until his exile had put an end to that with Mme de Bernières. In England we hear of whores and Laura Harley, who, most likely, only provided him with an exercise in English verse:
    Laura, would you know the passion
    You have kindled in my breast?
    After that, for four years nothing at all (unless, indeed, he had a little fancy for the Abbé Linant? His preoccupation with the chubby fellow is so difficult to account for otherwise). Voltaire could not live without feminine company: ‘the only difference between men and women is that women are more amiable.’ But he was never a very ardent lover, even in his youth. He met Émilie only a few weeks after having announced that he was too ill to make love, and he once said: ‘I feel that it is ridiculous for me to be in love.’ A man who has had this feeling is incapable of passion such as Émilie would have liked to inspire. However, the compensations were great. Voltaire may never quite have satisfiedher physical nature or her romantic cravings, but for many years she was contented with what he did give. The most famous, most amusing man in the world was pulling out his conjuring-tricks for her and her alone. It was not nothing.
    Falling in love inspired both of them to hard work. Émilie was learning English conversation from Voltaire; in three weeks she spoke fluently and thereafter they often talked together in English. She was also learning algebra from Maupertuis. Typical society woman, she had no compunction about eating up his time and picking his brains; she complained if he was not always at her disposal. Soon she wanted much more than lessons from him; she fell in love with him, too. Maupertuis was then about thirty-five, handsome, hard-hearted, attractive to women. He does not seem to have responded to Émilie’s amorous advances very warmly, but we have only her letters, not his. ‘I shall be at home all day; come and see if you can teach me to elevate a nomos to a given force.’ ‘I have no more work unless you set me a task; I desire one extremely.’ ‘Come today at 6.00.’ ‘It is not surprising that when one leaves you one should think of nothing but the pleasure of seeing you again.’ ‘My life, at present, is very disorganized; I am dying; my soul needs you as my body needs repose.’ ‘I love you as much as if you had been here this evening.’
    Ã‰milie was not only engaged in absorbing the lessons of two famous masters. She led an energetic social life, with her bosom friend the Duchesse de Saint-Pierre. They went together to the Opera, the Jardin du Roi (the Zoo), to various cafés, and to the meetings of the Académie des Sciences. At all these places Mme du Châtelet gave a rendezvous to Maupertuis. She also took him to see her mother, now a widow living at Creteil, near Paris. Émilie was always able to cram more into a single day than most women into a week; she was as strong as an ox and required very little sleep. If necessary she could work all night; indeed