The MS consists of the poem on p.55-69, and notes on p.70-78. The poem was composed following the victory of Fontenoy on 11 May 1745.

The accompanying billet in Voltaire’s hand asks if the recipient will be happy with this edition of the poem. The edition of the poem, printed in Paris in 1745, features the poem itself, a plan of the battle, and épître dedicated to the King, and a preliminary discourse.

The poem has been heavily corrected by Voltaire. In his billet to Moncrif, Voltaire states that he will see why Voltaire did not send him the poem, adding that of the four published editions none satisfy him. He concludes by asking Moncrif to tell the queen that he is not easily satisfied when he works for her husband and son, and entreats Moncrif to love him.

The poem is taken from the 1745 Imprimerie Royale, Paris edition and is accompanied by one of five hundred printed billets published by Jacques Anisson-Duperron in 1745 as an accompaniment to the edition of the poem printed by the Imprimerie Royale, Louvre. The billet has been addressed to François-Augustin Paradis de Moncrif at ‘rue des Bons Enfans, chez monsieur d’Argenson’ in Voltaire’s hand.

The poem is an ‘épinicion’ or ‘victory song’ composed by Voltaire in the 1740s, just after his appointment as the royal historiographer. It was produced shortly after the events it describes, dedicated to King Louis XIV, and printed on the presses of the Royal Printing Office. The poem went through many revisions and this MS copy differs significantly in places to the printed text.

A letter sent from Voltaire to Alessandro Gregorio Capponi (1683-1746), originally accompanied by a printed copy of La Poeme de Fontenoy [Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, R.G.Lett.Est.IV.71]. Voltaire writes that Capponi is prized by all the literati and that, because of his ‘courteous humanity’, he has no doubts about presenting to him the poem. He notes that the ‘most Christian King’ allowed the poem to be printed in his palace so that Voltaire might have the honour of offering it to Capponi. Voltaire writes that he has always admired Italian poetry and has aspired to have the honour of obtaining the protection of the nation which, he notes, was for many centuries the first and only cultivator of every virtue and science.