A few days either before or after the publication of my work, for
I do not exactly recollect the time, there appeared another work
upon the same subject, taken verbatim from my first volume, except a
few stupid things which were joined to the extract. The book bore
the name of a Genevese, one Balexsert, and, according to the
title-page, had gained the premium in the Academy of Harlem. I
easily imagined the academy and the premium to be newly founded, the
better to conceal the plagiarism from the eyes of the public; but I
further perceived there was some prior intrigue which I could not
unravel; either by the lending of my manuscript, without which the
theft could not have been committed, or for the purpose of forging the
story of the pretended premium, to which it was necessary to give some
foundation. It was not until several years afterwards, that by a
word which escaped D'Ivernois, I penetrated the mystery, and
discovered those by whom Balexsert had been brought forward.
The low murmurings which precede a storm began to be heard, and
men of penetration clearly saw there was something gathering, relative
to me and my book, which would shortly break over my head. For my part
my stupidity was such, that, far from foreseeing my misfortune, I
did not suspect even the cause of it after I had felt its effect. It
was artfully given out that while the Jesuits were treated with
severity, no indulgence could be shown to books nor the authors of
them in which religion was attacked.
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