This
obscene, whimsical, and disagreeable poem met with the neglect it
deserved at its first publication; and I only treat the author now
as he was treated in his own country by his contemporaries."
Candide was sensibly grieved at this speech, as he had a great
respect for Homer, and was fond of Milton.
"Alas!" said he softly to Martin, "I am afraid this man holds our
German poets in great contempt."
"There would be no such great harm in that," said Martin.
"O what a surprising man!" said Candide, still to himself; "what a
prodigious genius is this Pococurante! nothing can please him."
After finishing their survey of the library, they went down into the
garden, when Candide commended the several beauties that offered
themselves to his view.
"I know nothing upon earth laid out in such had taste," said
Pococurante; "everything about it is childish and trifling; but I
shall have another laid out tomorrow upon a nobler plan."
As soon as our two travelers had taken leave of His Excellency,
Candide said to Martin, "Well, I hope you will own that this man is
the happiest of all mortals, for he is above everything he possesses."
"But do not you see," answered Martin, "that he likewise dislikes
everything he possesses? It was an observation of Plato, long since,
that those are not the best stomachs that reject, without distinction,
all sorts of aliments.
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