The marbled decorative borders of this manuscript are unusual. The only other known manuscript to include similar borders is a translation of Tarikh’i Iskandar (The History of Alexander the Great) that was copied by Ibn Muhammad Khan Safdar ‘Ali in Kabul on Monday 8th Rabi’ II 1291 AH (25th May 1874 AD). A reference to the Voltaire translation is given in the preface to the Tarikh’i Iskandar: ‘Ibn Muhammad Khan Safdar ‘Ali is to produce this text as well as the History of Peter the Great’, confirming that the two volumes were made in this style at the bequest of the same patron. The Tarikh’i Iskandar was produced in Kabul, Afghanistan while this manuscript was produced in Iran, suggesting that their shared patron was a Qajar figure significant enough to travel with a large enough retinue to include a calligrapher.

The copy forms part of a recueil of various works, including those by:

• Gabrielle-Émilie Du Châtelet
• Frederick II of Prussia
• Christian Gellert
• Salomon Gesner
• Jean-Jacques Le Franc de Pompignan
• Simon Lefrance de Pompignan
• Tunisie Tunis

The copy forms part of a recueil of various works, including those by:

• Gabrielle-Émilie Du Châtelet
• Frederick II of Prussia
• Christian Gellert
• Salomon Gesner
• Jean-Jacques Le Franc de Pompignan
• Simon Lefrance de Pompignan
• Tunisie Tunis

The MS is divided into the following sections:

• ‘Diatribe du Docteur Akakia, médecin du Pape: décret de l’Inquisition; et rapport des professeurs de Rome au sujet d’un prétendu Président. Rome 1753.’
  
• ‘Berlin du 16eme Decembre 1752’
• ‘Decret de l’Inquisition de Rome’
• ‘Augement des Professeurs du Collége de la Sapience’
• ‘Mémoire’, written in the hand of Collini with an autograph correction by Voltaire
• ‘Reponse de Mr de Voltaire à Mr de Maupertuis’
• ‘Avertisement qui a paru dans les gazettes litteraires et ordinaires de Leipzig’

The text contains substantial variants, many of which do not appear in the print editions. A leaf between f.199 and f.200 appears to be missing.

The text contains substantial variants, many of which do not appear in the print edition.

This copy of the text contains substantial variants, many of which do not appear in the print editions. A correction on line 23 which corrects ‘déisme’ to ‘théisme’ indicates that the MS was produced between 1748 and 1750.