Page:Belle Assemblée (Volume 10, 1814).djvu/134

 of the first page, and thou shalt become possessed of wisdom; those at the top of the second page, will procure thee wit and science; those on the third, graces and beauty; those on the fourth page, opulence; those on the last page, grandeur.—Learn how to moderate thy wishes.”

Nadir could not suppress a smile as he looked at the first page, “Wisdom!” muttered he; “why surely Alzor is making game of me! Is there even a sprite possessed of more wisdom than myself? Let us turn to another page; but which shall I give the preference to? Strange perplexity! Illimited power is as bad as having no power at all.” The impatient youth was torturing his brains, when his servant brought him the newspaper. He cast his eyes over it, and read an advertisement, stating that a scientific discussion was to take place, in order to decide whether there was more merit in delineating with the pen than with the pencil, and also whether it was requisite to adhere scrupulously to the established rules and principles, or advisable to overlook them. Nadir instantly felt anxious to shine in the literary dispute, and cried out Wit and Science. A writing-desk of cedar wood was immediately drawn near him by an invisible hand; it opened, and a gold pen was produced. Nadir seized it, and began writing with a facility, elegance, and energy that he knew not being endowed with. Surprised at his wonderful success, he carried his work to a man who composedly dealt in the performances of others. This gentleman begged to be allowed some time to read the production; then ran it over, pretended to review it, seemed to depreciate the book, appeared fearful of publishing the first essay of an unknown writer; printed it, however, through mere complaisance, and made a good round sum of money by the publication, leaving for the portion of the author, innumerable critics, and a few admirers. Nadir had many adversaries; but whilst they were striving in vain to procure readers, every one was anxious to procure his replies, and all engraved in their memory the emanations of his sublime eloquence.

Some fugitive poems that he had composed, and which, (who would believe it in the present time?) were void of bombast and metaphysical arguments, induced his admirers to invite him to challenge Mirza himself in the dramatic field. The gold pen was set to work. Both a comedy in seven acts, and a tragedy in ten, went through two thousand two hundred and fifty successive representations, and the great Mirza confessed that he was beaten. The academy, in a fit of enthusiasm, sent two deputies to the new luminary of literature, to invite him to illumine the horizon of their meetings. Nadir accordingly made his appearance among them, and was appointed to take the chair. All through the republic of Belles Lettres were influenced by him. No work was published unless it had met with his approbation or consent. Authors would send him pompous dedications, in order to procure a short note from his own hand which they gloried in producing. His thoughts were analyzed, and fifty translators were engaged, day and night, in transmitting his productions in every idiom that was known.

In the mean time the excess of that glory with which Nadir was in some measure overburdened, bruised the hearts of his rivals. Long stunned by his first successes, they thought at last of being revenged. Under the veil of delicate censure, they shot at him the shafts of ridicule, which seldom miss the object they are aimed at; and soon after attacked him openly. If his style was concise, they pronounced it enigmatical and unintelligible; if he combined gracefulness and humour, perfidious echos would attenuate his ideas, and leave them only the mobility of air. As soon as his pretended friends found out that the idol was threatened with an overthrow, they disappeared for fear of being crushed in his fall. Nadir continued writing, proved that he was on the right side of the question, but he met only with unbelievers; till at last satiated with insipid compliments, and overwhelmed with invectives, he shut up his cedar wood writing-desk, broke his gold pen, and with a view of ending his poignant chagrin, seized a dart, sharpened its point, brought it close to his breast, but recollected on a sudden that, authors should cherish life, and he determined to travel. He was already at a great distance from the town before his departure would have been thought of.