Voltaire's history of Charles XII, king of Sweden — Voltaire — John Shaqi
Voltaire's history of Charles XII, king of Sweden
Voltaire · en
This conversation was the only intrigue which placed Stanislas on his
throne. Charles prolonged the conversation purposely, that he might the
better sound the young deputy’s genius. After the conference he said
aloud that he had never met a man so fit to reconcile all parties. He
immediately made inquiries about the character of Leczinski, and found
that he was brave and inured to fatigue, that he always slept on a kind
of straw mattress, and that he required no personal service from his
attendants; that he was more temperate than is usual in that climate,
economical, adored by his servants, and perhaps the only popular prince
in Poland, at a time when all ties were broken but those of interest
and faction. This character, which corresponded in many respects with
his own, made him make up his mind finally. He remarked aloud after the
meeting, “There is a man who will always be my friend,” and people knew
that that meant, “There is a man who shall be king.”
When the Primate of Poland heard that the King had nominated the
Palatine Leczinski, he hastened to Charles to try to make him change
his mind, for he wished to put the crown on the head of a certain
Lubomirski. “But what objection have you to Stanislas?” asked the
conqueror. “Sire,” said the Primate, “he is too young.” “He is much
about my own age,” answered the King dryly, turning his back on the
Prelate. Then he sent Count Horn to Warsaw at once to notify the
Assembly that they must elect a king in three days, and that they
must choose Stanislas Leczinski. Count Horn arrived on the 7th July,
and fixed the election for the 12th, just as if he were arranging the
decampment of a battalion. The Cardinal-Primate, disappointed of the
fruit of so many intrigues, returned to the Assembly, where he left no
stone unturned to ruin the election in which he had had no share; but
the King of Sweden arrived incognito at Warsaw, so that he had to be
silent. All that the Primate could do was to absent himself from the
election: he took up the position of a neutral, being unable to oppose
the conqueror and unwilling to assist him.
On Saturday, 12th July, the day appointed for the election, the
Assembly met at Colo, at about three in the afternoon. They met
there by arrangement, and the Bishop of Posnania presided instead of
the Cardinal. Count Horn and two other officers were present at the
ceremony, as ambassadors extraordinary from Charles to the Republic.
The session lasted till nine in the evening, and the Bishop brought
it to an end by declaring in the name of the Diet that Stanislas was
elected King of Poland. They all threw their caps into the air, and the
acclamations stifled the cries of the opposers.