The MS forms part of a volume that also contains:

• Extrait d’un manuscrit trouvé après la mort de Jean Meslier
• Essais sur la recherche de la vérité.

The present whereabouts of this MS are unknown.

The present whereabouts of this MS are unknown.

The present whereabouts of this MS are unknown.

The text of this MS is close to the clandestine editions of the text produced in 1784. Marginal notes restore the text to the original version (CMV37555). The MS is part of a bound collection known to have been used by the Kehl editors.

A leaf containing notes about Madame de Boufflers, attributed to Saint-Lambert, has been inserted between p.76 and p.77.

The MS was composed, according to a notes in Voltaire’s hand on f.79v, f.81r, f.95v, and f.98r, between 6 November 1759 and 12 February 1760. The notes states that the MS was composed at Les Délices. F.1-80 are written primarily in Wagnière’s hand with corrections by Voltaire. F.81-99 are written primarily in Voltaire’s hand. The first half seems to be a clean copy of the text. The second half appears to be a working document.

The text is largely written in the secretarial hand of Samuel Villaume. Voltaire has added corrections throughout.