A PHILOSOPHICAL DICTIONARY
VOLUME VIII
By
VOLTAIRE
EDITION DE LA PACIFICATION
THE WORKS OF VOLTAIRE
A CONTEMPORARY VERSION
With Notes by Tobias Smollett, Revised and Modernized
New Translations by William F. Fleming, and an
Introduction by Oliver H.G. Leigh
A CRITIQUE AND BIOGRAPHY
BY
THE RT. HON. JOHN MORLEY
FORTY-THREE VOLUMES
One hundred and sixty-eight designs, comprising reproductions
of rare old engravings, steel plates, photogravures,
and curious fac-similes
VOLUME XII
E.R. DuMONT
PARIS—LONDON—NEW YORK—CHICAGO
1901
The WORKS of VOLTAIRE
"Between two servants of Humanity, who appeared eighteen hundredyears apart, there is a mysterious relation. * * * * Let us say itwith a sentiment of profound respect: JESUS WEPT: VOLTAIRE SMILED.Of that divine tear and of that human smile is composed thesweetness of the present civilization."
VICTOR HUGO.
ALLEGORICAL BUST OF VOLTAIRE—frontispiece
THE INITIATE BANISHING THE PRIEST
JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU
JOHN CALVIN
VOLTAIRE
A PHILOSOPHICAL DICTIONARY.
IN TEN VOLUMES
VOL. VIII
MONEY—PRIVILEGE
MONEY.
A word made use of to express gold. "Sir, will you lend me a hundredlouis d'or?" "Sir, I would with all my heart, but I have no money; I amout of ready money." The Italian will say to you: "Signore, non ha didanari"—"I have no deniers."
Harpagon asks Maître Jacques: "Wilt thou make a good entertainment?""Yes, if you will give me plenty of money."
We continually inquire which of the countries of Europe is the richestin money? By that we mean, which is the people who circulate the mostmetals representative of objects of commerce? In the same manner we ask,which is the poorest? and thirty contending nations presentthemselves—the Westphalian, Limousin, Basque, Tyrolese, Valois, Grison,Istrian, Scotch, and Irish, the Swiss of a small canton, and above allthe subjects of the pope.
In deciding which has most, we hesitate at present between France,Spain, and Holland, which had none in 1600.
Formerly, in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, theprovince of the papal treasury had no doubt the most ready money, andtherefore the greatest trade. How do you sell that? would be asked of atheological merchant, who replied, For as much as the people are foolsenough to give me.
All Europe then sent its money to the Roman court, who gave in changeconsecrated beads, agnuses, indulgences plenary and limited,dispensations, confirmations, exemptions, benedictions, and evenexcom