Letter from Voltaire to Alexis Claude Clairaut, written from Ferney and dated 27 August 1759 [D8455]
Identifiers
CMV:
CMV36725
Repository:
Shelfmark:
5-240 (VII, f.98-9), ‘‘Réponse à M. Clairaut, 27 avril 1759’ imprimée dans le Commentaire sur les œuvres de l’auteur de la Henriade faite par M. Wagnières (M. 3914)’
Title:
Letter from Voltaire to Alexis Claude Clairaut, written from Ferney and dated 27 August 1759 [D8455]
Collection(s):
Link to Archive Catalogue:
Link to Digital Resource:
OCLC Number:
Reproductions:
The Besterman Collection, Genev
Content
People:
Incipit Diplomatic:
Vôtre Lettre, Monsieur, m’a fait autant de plaisir, que vôtre travail m’a inspiré d’estime; vôtre guerre avec les géomètres au sujet de la comette me parait la guerre des Dieux dans l’Olimpe, tandis que sur la terre les chiens se battent contre les chats;
Incipit Modernised:
Votre Lettre, Monsieur, m’a fait autant de plaisir, que votre travail m’a inspiré d’estime; votre guerre avec les géomètres au sujet de la comète me parait la guerre des Dieux dans l’Olympe, tandis que sur la terre les chiens se battent contre les chats;
Language(s):
In Voltaire’s Hand:
No
Brief Summary:
Letter from Voltaire to Alexis Claude Clairaut, written from château de Ferney to Paris and dated 27 August 1759.
Detailed Summary:
In this letter, the writer conveys admiration for Monsieur’s extensive and intricate work in astronomy, particularly in the study of comets and their interactions with planetary bodies. They contrast Monsieur’s impressive achievements with their own less successful attempts at scientific and literary pursuits, expressing frustration at past injustices and current trivialities in the literary world. Despite these challenges, the writer finds solace in practical work on their estate, highlighting a preference for the tangible results of agriculture over the often unrewarding efforts in literature. The letter concludes with a respectful acknowledgment of Monsieur’s contributions and a personal reflection on the rewards of practical endeavour over intellectual ambition. According to T. D. N. Besterman, ‘Caussy, p. 33, is mistaken when he says that MS1 is dated ’27 avril 1759”.
Keyword(s):
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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:
The manuscript carries a few autograph additions. Voltaire headed MS1 ‘réponse à mr Clairaut 27 aoust 1759’, and Wagnière endorsed it ‘imprimée dans le commentaire sur les œuvres de L’auteur de la Henriade, fait par Wagnière’. Furthermore, the envelope is marked with the address ‘à Mr Clairaut à Paris, rüe du coq’.
Marginalia Keywords:
Inclusions:
History
Date:
27 August 1759
Ownership:
After Voltaire’s death, the MS passed into the ownership of Catherine II and remained in the imperial and then national collection thereafter.
Origin (transcript):
Origin:
Provenance:
This MS was probably taken to St Petersburg by Wagnière in the summer of 1779 along with the rest of Voltaire’s library.
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:
104, p. 330–333
OCV Manuscript Reference:
104, ‘MS1’, p. 333
Record created by:
Record created on: