Keeps correcting, altering, till Van Duren thinks he is spoiling it for sale;--and privately determines to preserve the original Manuscript, and have an edition of that, with only such corrections as seem good to Van Duren.

A treasonous step on this mule of a Bookseller's part, thinks Voltaire; but mulishly persisted in by the man.

Endless correspondence, to right and left, ensues; intolerably wearisome to every reader.

And, in fine, there came out, in Autumn next,"-- the Crown-Prince no longer a Crown-Prince by that time, but shining conspicuous under Higher Title,--"not one ANTI-MACHIAVEL only, but a couple or a trio of ANTI-MACHIAVELS; as printed 'at the Hague;' as reprinted 'at London' or elsewhere; the confused Bibliography of which has now fallen very insignificant.

First there was the Voltaire text, Authorized Edition, 'end of September, 1740;' then came, in few weeks, the Van Duren one; then, probably, a third, combining the two, the variations given as foot-notes:--in short, I know not how many editions, translations, printings and reprintings; all the world being much taken up with such a message from the upper regions, and eager to read it in any form.
"As to Friedrich himself, who of course says nothing of the ANTI-MACHIAVEL in public, he privately, to Voltaire, disowns all these editions; and intends to give a new one of his own, which shall be the right article; but never did it, having far other work cut out for him in the months that came.