Many of the works were written by Adolphe de Circourt.

The manifestion discusses Great Britain’s relationship with America, declarations of war, international relations, and piracy.

In ‘Chapter CLI’, Voltaire discusses the French colonisation efforts in America, comparing them with those of their Spanish and English rivals. The chapter features historical figures, such as Admiral Gaspard II de Coligny and John Calvin, and references notable locations, including Eldorado, Cayenne islands and Florida. Voltaire also discusses the spread of religion by Spanish and French missionaries, the governance, laws, traditions and indigenous peoples of Canada, and the practice of anthropophagy in the region. Additionally, he mentions Acadia and Louisiana, concluding with speculative advantages and disadvantages of establishing French settlers in Louisiana.

In this chapter, Voltaire discusses the expedition of Christopher Columbus, highlighting the challenges of securing sponsorships, including failed attempts in England, Portugal and France, before finally gaining support from Spain under Queen Isabella I of Castile. The chapter details Columbus’ discovery of the Santo Domingo Islands, the Caribbean, and Jamaica, amongst others, and explores his resourcefulness in addressing the scepticism and jealousy of his critics. Voltaire also discusses Amerigo Vespucci and his expeditions, as well as the indigenous peoples of the Americas, their physical characteristics, customs, and interactions with the Spaniards. The chapter concludes with a discussion of America’s flora and fauna, as well as the Columbian Exchange, the laws regulating Spanish trade and the disadvantages of the Columbian expeditions, including Spanish emigration driven by colonisation and the spread of infections, to mention a few.

This text discusses America, Egypt, Ancient Greece, and India, as well as topics such as idolatry, miracles, temples, magic, Jews, and Ancient Romans. In the preface, it is said that the MS was offered by the author’s nephew to Catherine II of Russia. The manuscript is either unfinished or incomplete.

Commonplace book, mostly in one hand, some poetry in another. Six pages are written in cypher. Reverse entries. A compendium of literary and political pieces from the first half of the eighteenth century. The pages in cypher have some headings in English, including: ‘On Epilogues Modern’ [Epilogue Spoken by Mrs. Oldfield in The Tragedy of Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester by Ambrose Philips… 1723], Philip Bonus, the Good Duke of Burgundy, Hostratus the Friar – [Richard Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy], American/Columbus/Pennsylvania/Delaware/Baltimore. Other headings in the main text include: “Adversaria”, Lord Bolingbroke; “Augustini Opp. Ed. Lugd. 8o”; “La Henriade” by Voltaire; “Histoire des Papes… 1732” by François Bruys; “Histoire du Regne de Louis XIII. par Michel Le Vassor” etc.

This poetry collection includes poems by Mary Stevenson Hewson herself, Francis Hopkinson, Thomas Gray, Peter Pindor, and translations from Voltaire and other French writers. Also included are two poems by Benjamin Franklin and an unattributed poem titled ‘Eligiac Ode, On The Death of Dr. Franklin.’ The collection is accompanied by a contemporary table of contents written on a sheet of European paper. The rest of the collection is written on American paper. A free endpaper of the casing is dated 1787 and signed Mary Hewson. Hewson was the well-educated daughter of Benjamin Franklin’s London landlady, his friend and correspondent.

Notes from 1833 refer to article by Mr Everett on Tocqueville’s work on American penal system and articles from North American Review comparing prison regimes. Discusses in detail experiments by Mr Lawes in using sewerage as fertilizer to increase crop production; refers to letter in family’s possession from Voltaire to Samuel Estwick which has been dated by Macaulay and compared with Voltaire’s writing; letter copied on f 11v; refers to price of land at sales; includes notes in French on Thiers’ ‘Historie de l’Empire Vol 8’ from 1853; refers to trustees and arrangements for family trusts. Comments on parliamentary affairs during sessions of 1850-51 including vote on Greek Question 1850; refers to case in Court of Common Pleas; discusses workings of specific committees including those on gevernment finances; refers to resignation and reappointment of Government.

Os D 12/1/1 found enclosed.

De Missy writes to Voltaire about his edition of Voltaire’s tragedy Mahomet. De Missy divides the letter into a series of numbered points. Point One concerns the beginning of Act Three which is in need of revision. De Missy says that he could have corrected the Act himself but did not want to taint Voltaire’s writing. Point Two concerns a few passages that De Missy notes he will not punctuate in line with Voltaire’s intentions. He notes that this is particularly relevant to the first verses of p.55 in At IV. Point Three concerns various corrections in Voltaire’s copy that are in the London edition, and some passages in this edition that have been more heavily corrected than Voltaire’s version. He draws attention to p.7, p.33, p.42, p.45, p.48, and p.50. He asks Voltaire how he would like these sections to read, and whether or not he should follow the example of the London edition. Point Four concerns p.28 where the printer had written ‘They sit’ and Voltaire had not corrected it. De Missy asks if Voltaire’s lack of correction was intentional or not. Point Five concerns a verse on p.13, about which De Missy questions Voltaire’s phrasing. There then follow two paragraphs that are left incomplete, with large gaps in the copy suggesting that De Missy intended to expand on them and complete them. The paragraphs concern the topics of gender, virtues, and vices, with De Missy noting that men and women alike have both vices and virtues, and that one gender cannot be said to be more virtuous than the other. De Missy then goes on to discuss religion, and the ways in which divides between various religious denominations are largely artificial because human action traverses them. He states that he does not want to go to America but would do so tomorrow if they were the place that hated fraud and tyranny. He says he should like to do this journey with Voltaire. De Missy makes mention of the letter to Frederick II that Voltaire had sent him [D2386], adding some further details about the people mentioned in the letter: The Dias brothers, James Shepherd, and Luther. He then turns to Muhammad himself, questioning why Christians should be offended by Voltaire’s play when it shows Islam in a bad light as it was, he writes, founded on deceit and violence, not Christianity which was established with, he suggests, the best faith, great sweetness, and patience. De Missy then turns to Pascal’s comments on inconceivable proposals, problematising Voltaire’s understanding of this notion. De Missy ends his letter with a discussion of a Warning in the English papers from a wife whose husband had left home and not returned, with the wife claiming that if he came back within three days he would be graciously received. He writes that he had discussed this with a friend who concluded that the woman perhaps beat her husband. By means of an ending, he summarises his earlier questions about his edition of Mahomet, and this copy is left unfinished at the reiteration of Point Four.