Autograph letter from Voltaire to Frederick II, dated 2 May [1759] [D8283]

Identifiers

CMV:

CMV33979

Shelfmark:

5-240 (VII, f.18-19), ‘[V] ‘Au roi de Prusse, 2 mai 1758’ (M. 3838)’

Title:

Autograph letter from Voltaire to Frederick II, dated 2 May [1759] [D8283]

Related record(s):

No related manuscripts found.

Link to Digital Resource:

Link to Archive Catalogue:

OCLC Number:

Reproductions:

Content

People:

Incipit Diplomatic:

Héros du nord, je savais bien

Incipit Modernised:

Héros du nord, je savais bien

Language(s):

In Voltaire’s Hand:

Yes

Brief Summary:

Autograph letter from Voltaire to Frederick II, dated 2 May [1759].

Detailed Summary:

The manuscript is a draft of a lettre en vers mainly in Voltaire’s hand. The letter starts with an author’s poem comprised of 18 lines, ends with two lines from Epîtres by Boileau (i.83–84), and features ‘Congé’ by Frederick II, Gargantua by Rabelais, Matthew and Epîtres by Boileau. Furthermore, as per T. D. N. Besterman, Caussy asserts that the same volume, f.26, houses another holograph draft of this letter; however, this assertion is unfounded.

Genre(s):

Status:

Physical Description

Material(s):

Extent:

2 ff.

Format:

Dimensions:

Hands:

2

Watermark:

Countermark:

Binding:

The manuscript is bound with other documents in contemporary red morocco.

Additional Comments:

Materiality Keywords:

Decorations:

Additions:

Voltaire headed MS1 ‘au Roy de Prusse 2 may’, to which another hand added the year 1758, which was followed by ED1.

Marginalia Keywords:

Inclusions:

History

Date:

[2 May 1759]

Ownership:

Origin (transcript):

Origin:

Provenance:

Bibliography

Bibliography:

Fernand Caussy, Inventaire des manuscrits de la bibliothèque de Voltaire conservée à la bibliothèque impériale publique de Saint-Pétersbourg (Geneva, Slatkine reprints, 1970)

OCV Reference:

OCV Manuscript Reference:

Record created by:

Aušra Bukniute

Record created on:

29 August 2024