history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第35章
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lcherrimum Dynamices sublimioris principium； cujus vim in difficillimis quoestionibus soepe expertus fui。〃 ＇ By way of finis to the Paper； there is given； what proves extremely important to us； an Excerpt from an old LETTER OF LEIBNITZ'S； which perhaps it will be better to present here IN CORPORE； as so much turned on it afterwards。 Konig thus winds up：
〃I add only a word； in finishing； and that is； that it appears Mr。 Leibnitz had a theory of Action； perhaps much more extensive than one would suspect at present。 There is a Letter written by him to Mr。 Hermann ＇an ancient mathematical sage at Basel＇； where he uses these expressions： 'Action； is not what you think； the consideration of Time enters into it； Action is as the product of the mass by the space and the velocity； or as the time by the VIS VIVA。 I have remarked that in the modifications of motion； the action becomes usually a maximum or a minimum：and from this there might several propositions of great consequence be deduced。 It might serve to determine the curves described by bodies under attraction to one or more centres。 I had meant to treat of these things in the Second Part of my DYNAMIQUE； which I suppressed； the reception of the First； by prejudice in many quarters； having disgusted me。'〃 ＇MAUPERTUISIANA； No。 ii。 22 （from Acta Eruditorum； ubi supra）。 In MAUPERTUISIANA； No。 iv。 166； is the whole Letter； 〃Hanover； 16th October； 1707；〃 no ADDRESS left； judged to be to Hermann。 MAUPERTUISIANA （Hamburg； 1753） is a mere Bookseller's or even Bookbinder's Farrago； with printed TITLE… PAGE and LIST； of the chief Pamphlets which had appeared on this Business （sixteen by count； various type； all 8vo size； in my copy）。 Of which only No。 ii。 （Konig's APPEL AU PUBLIC） and No。 iv。 （2d edition of said APPEL； with APPENDIX OF CORRESPONDENCE） are illuminative to read。＇ Your Minimum of Action； it would appear； then； is in some cases a Maximum； nothing can be said but that； in every case it is EITHER a Maximum or Minimum。 What a stroke for our LAW OF THRIFT； the 〃at last conclusive Proof〃 of an Intelligent Creator； as the Perpetual President had fancied it！ 〃So…ho； what is this！ My Discovery an Error？ And Leibnitz discovered it； so far as true？〃
〃May 28th…8th OCTOBER； 1751。 Maupertuis； compressing himself what he can； writes to Konig： 'Very good； Monsieur。 But please inform me where is that Letter of Leibnitz's； I have never seen or heard of it before；and I want to make use of it myself。' To which Konig answers： 'Henzi gave it me； in Copy ＇unfortunate Conspirator Henzi； who lost his head three years ago； by sentence of the Oligarch Government at Berne＇： ＇Government by 〃The Two Hundred；〃 of Select… Vestry nature； very stiff； arbitrary and become rife in abuses； against whom had risen angry mutterings more than once； and in 1749 a Select Plot （not select ENOUGH； for they discovered it in time）。 Poor Ex…Captain Henzi； 〃Clerk *of the Salt…Office；〃 most frugal； studious and quiet of men； a very miracle； It would appear； of genius； solid learning； philosophy and piety；not the chief or first of the conspirators； but by far the most distinguished；was laid hold of； July 2d； 1749； and beheaded； with another of them； a day or two after。 Much bewailed in a private way； even by the better kinds of people。 （Copious account of him in Adelung； vii。 86…91。）＇he； poor fellow； had no end of Papers and Excerpts； had； as we know； above a hundred volumes of the latter kind； this； and some other Letters of Leibnitz's； among them；I send you the whole Letter； copied faithfully from his Copy。' ＇〃The Hague； 26th June；〃 in Maupertuisiana； No。 iv。 130。＇ To that effect； still in perfect good…humor； was Konig's reply to his Maupertuis。
〃'Hm； Copy？ By Henzi？' grumbles Maupertuis to himself：'Search in Berne； then； it must be there； if anywhere！' To Konig Maupertuis answers nothing： but sulkily resolves on having Search made；and； to give solemnity to the matter； requests his Excellency Marquis de Paulmy； the French Ambassador at Berne； to ask the Government there；Government having seized all Henzi's Papers； on beheading him。 Excellency Paulmy does； accordingly； make inquiry in the highest quarter； some inquiries up and down。 Not the least account of this； or of any Leibnitz Letter； to be had from among Henzi's Papers；the 'hundred volumes；' seemingly； exist no longer； Original of this Leibnitz Piece is nowhere。 For eight months the highest Authorities have been looking about （with one knows not what vivacity or skill in searching）； and have found nothing whatever。〃 Stage second of the Business finishes in this manner。
How lucky for the Perpetual President； had he stopped here！ To Konig and the common contradiction of sinners he could have opposed； as it was apparently his purpose to do； an Olympian silence； 〃Pshaw！〃 Whereby the small matter； interesting to few； would have dropped gently into dubiety； into oblivion； and been got well rid of。 But this of the great Leibnitz； touching on one's LAW OF THRIFT； and not only 〃discovering〃 it； half a century beforehand； but discovering that it was not true： to Leibnitz one must speak；and the abstruse question is； What is one to say？ 〃Find me the original； let us be certain； first：〃 that you can say； that is one dear point； and pretty much the only one。 The rest； at this time； as I conjecture； may have been not a little abstruse to the Perpetual President！
And now； had the Perpetual President but stopped here； there might still have rested a saving shadow of suspicion on Konig's Excerpt； That it was not exact； that it might be wrong in some vital point： 〃You never showed me the Original； Monsieur！〃 Unluckily； the Perpetual President did not stop。 One cannot well fancy him believing； now or ever； that Konig had forged the Excerpt。 Most likely he had the fatal persuasion that these were Leibnitz's words； and the question； What was to be said or done； if the Original SHOULD turn up？ might justly be alarming to a Son of the Pure Sciences。 But at this point a new door of escape disclosed itself： 〃Where is the Original； I say！〃and he rushed； full speed； into that； galloping triumphantly； feeling all safe。
〃OCTOBER 7th （1751）； Maupertuis summons his Academy： 'Messieurs； permit me to submit a case perhaps requiring your attention。 One of our number dissents from your President's Discovery of the Law of Thrift； which surely he is free to do： but furthermore he gives an Excerpt purporting to be from Leibnitz； whereby it would appear that your President's Discovery； sanctioned in your Acts as new； is not new； but Leibnitz's （so far as it is good for anything）； possibly stolen； therefore； and； at any rate； fifty…four years old。 In self…defence； I have demanded to see the Original of said Excerpt； and the Honorable Member in question does not produce it。 What say you？' 'Shame to him！' say they all ＇there seem to be but few Scientific Members； and most of them； it is insinuated； have Pensions from the King through their Perpetual President＇；and determine to make a Star…chamber matter of it！
〃Accordingly； next day； OCTOBER 8th） Secretary Formey writes officially to Konig； 'Produce that Letter within one month；'and has got his Majesty to order； That our Prussian Minister at the Hague shall take charge of delivering such message； and shall mark on what day。 Thing serious； you see！Prussian Minister at the Hague delivers； and dockets accordingly。 To Konig's astonishment； who is in a scene of deep trouble at this time； Royal Highness the Stadtholder suddenly dead； or dying： 'died October 22d； leaving a very young Heir； and a very sorrowful Widow and Country。' Much to think of； that lies apart from the Maupertuis matter！ Which latter； however； is so very serious too； his Prussian Majesty's Minister at Berne is now charged to make new perquisition for the Leibnitz Original there： In short； within one month that Document is peremptorily wanted at Berlin。〃
High proceedings these；and calculated to have one result； if no other。 Namely； that； at this point； as readers can fancy； the idler Public； seeing a street…quarrel in progress； began to take interest in the Question of MINIMUM； and quasi…scientific gentlemen to gather round； and express； with cheery capable look； their opinions；still legible in the vanished JUGEMENS LIBRES （of Hamburg）； GAZETTE DE SAVANS （Leipzig）； and other poor Shadows of JOURNALS； if you daringly evoke them from the other side of Styx。 Which； the whole matter being now so indisputably extinct； shadowy； Stygian； we will not here be guilty of doing； but hasten to the catastrophes； that have still a memorability。
〃Konig； having in fact nothing more to say about the Leibnitz Excerpt； was in no breathless haste to obey his summons； he sat almost two months before answering anything。 Did then write however； in a friendly strain to Maupertuis （December 10th； 1751）。 ＇ Maupertuisiana； No。 iv。 132。＇ Almost on which same day； as it chanced； the ACADEMIE； after two months' dignified waiting； had in brief terms repeated its order on Konig。 ＇December 11th； 1751 （Ib。 137）。 To which Konig makes no special answer （having as good as answered the day before）；but does silently send off to Switzerland to make inquiries； and does write once or twice more； when there is occasion for explaining；always in a clear； sonorous； manfully firm and respectful tone： 'That he himself had； or has； no kind of reason to doubt the authenticity of the Leibnitz Letter； that to himself （and； so far as he can judge； to Maupertuis） the question of its authenticity is without special interest；he； Konig； having thrown it in as a mere marginal illustration； which decides nothing； either for or against the Law of Thrift。 That he has； in obedience to the Academy； caused search to be made in Switzerland； especially at Basel； where he judged the chance might lie； but that of this particular Letter nothing has come to light； that he has two other Leibnitz Letters； of indifferent tenor； in the late Henzi's hand； if these will serve in aught； ＇ Maupertuisiana； No。 iv。 155； and ib。 172…192； the two Letters themselves。＇but what farther can he do？' In short； Konig speaks always in a clear business…like manful tone； the one person that makes a really respectful and respectable figure in this Controversy of the Infinitely Little。 A man whom； viewed from this quiet distance； it seems almost inconceivably absurd to have suspected of forging for so small an object。 Oh； my President； that DIRA REGNANDI CUPIDO！
〃Question is； however； What the Academy will do？ One Member； 'the best Geometer among them' ＇whose name is not given； but which the Berlin Academy should write in big letters across this sad Page of their Annals； by way of erasure to the same＇； dissented from the high line of procedure； asserting Konig's innocence in this matter； nay； hinting agreement with Konig's opinion。 But was met by such a storm； that he withdrew from the deliberations； which henceforth went their own bad course； unanimous though slow。 And so the matter pendulates all through Winter； 1751…52； and was much the theme of idle men。〃
Voltaire heard of it vaguely all along； but not with distinctness till the end of July following。 As Spr
