Banished from French soil for so great a part of his life, Francois de Voltaire could not fail to discern the weak points of his own country’s national life as compared with what England had to show him. Brandes is very explicit on this score. “Voltaire was released from the Bastile on the second day of May on orders of the King and his royal highness, the Duke,” writes Brandes, “and Conde was instructed to accompany him to Calais and watch him go on board and leave the harbor. His exile, designed as a punishment, proved in every way an advantage to his development.” Differing as day from night, English social conditions as compared with the France of the period could not fail to impress the young exile. “Landing at Greenwich,” Brandes continues, “Voltaire slept his first night in London at Lord Bolingbroke’s palace in Pall Mall, after spending the evening in the company of ladies and gentlemen of the most exclusive society. Bolingbroke knew the foremost writers of England, so that through him Voltaire could immediately make their acquaintance, except where language prevented. Bolingbroke called the triumvirate of the English Parnassus, Pope, Swift and Gray, by their first names. Voltaire could not have had a better introduction to the literary and aristocratic world of England.” It was characteristic of the manners and customs of the day that Voltaire arrived in England supplied with letters of introduction from members of the very French government that had exiled him. The abler men among the ministers were apparently ashamed that they had been obliged to exile a man, not because of what wrongs he had done but because of the injustice he had suffered. The French minister of foreign affairs, M. de Morville, requested Horatio Walpole, a brother of the English Premier, Sir Robert Walpole, and Stair’s successor as England’s ambassador to France, to do all he could for the welfare of Voltaire on English soil. Brandes places emphasis on a letter Walpole wrote the Duke of Newcastle as follows: “I trust you will pardon me when, at the earnest solicitation of M. de Morville, I recommend to you M. de Voltaire, a writer and a most talented one who has recently come to England in order to have published through subscription a splendid poem, called ‘Henry IV.’ It is true that he has been imprisoned in the Bastile, but not on account of anything having to do with the government. It was merely through a dispute with a private individual, and I therefore hope that your Excellency will bestow on him your favor and protection by furthering the subscription.”