Voltaire thanks the recipient for acquainting him with a letter that he wrote to Frederick II of Prussia. He states that it has been two years since he wrote to Frederick, and adds that as their relationship caused much comment it is not unreasonable to assume that the letter is from him. Voltaire notes that everyone in Geneva has advised him to repudiate the letter in the public papers. He asks the recipient to allow him to send him a letter on this matter that he sent to the Duke of Grafton. He concludes by musing on the English press, noting that the liberty of the press is extended a little too far.

The letter is incomplete as the beginning is missing. Voltaire writes that, while waiting for the Berlin package, there is a little joke with which d’Arnaud can feast on with Frederick II of Prussia; he ran very unfaithful copies. Voltaire asks for d’Arnaud’s opinion on this matter and adds that he should learn news from Catilina, a tragedy Voltaire would publish in 1752. He concludes by saying that he still has no news of the English packet, and adds that he awaits with impatience Frederick II of Prussia. In a postscript, Voltaire states that he will be in Cirey for the entirety of January and would be glad if d’Arnaud could write to him.

The copy is part of a 153 ff. recueil of prose and verse compiled in the eighteenth-century.

The MS forms part of a recueil of various documents whose provenance and acquisition have gone unrecorded. Their order within the recueil corresponds to their approximate arrival in the BNF’s manuscripts department.

The manuscript is a copy of a letter in Wagnière’s hand. The author articulates unwavering loyalty to the addressee’s brother, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and contemplates the prospect of a promising diplomatic encounter between Frederick the Great and Marshal Richelieu to negotiate matters of peace. Whilst MS3 is dated ‘fin de 7bre 1757’, all the editions place the letter in August; this is because it has always been assumed that Frederick’s letter of 6 September to Richelieu (see Best.app.D158) was written in response to Voltaire’s suggestion, but this turns out not to have been the case; MS2 of D7400 is a sheet of paper folded once, thus forming four pages; D7400 occupies the first two pages and the top third of the third page; the draft of the present letter to Wilhelmina follows, Wagnière having inserted a heading at a later date; it is therefore certain that the present letter was written after, probably immediately after that to Frederick. Additionally, according to T. D. N. Besterman, the foliation is 9 (1 f).

The manuscript is an exordium of Voltaire’s poem ‘La Religion naturelle’, comprised of four parts. It is a variant of the poem more commonly known as ‘Poème sur la loi naturelle’, with the incipit reading ‘Oh vous! Dont les exploits…’. In a letter of 22 March 1756 to the Duchess of Saxe-Gotha, Voltaire recalls that he completed his poem while staying at her château in Gotha in 1753. The poem explores the themes of happiness, morality, and natural laws. Most likely the poem is dedicated to the Duchess of Saxe-Gotha. The poem incurred the condemnation of the Parlement de Paris in early 1759, along with Helvétius’s De l’esprit and four other works (D8086, D8137, D8159). Voltaire’s reaction was bitter (D15618).

The manuscript is the lettre en vers, containing three poems interspersed with prose passages. In praising Voltaire’s literary prowess, Baron de Rouville highlights the publication of odes lavishly extolling Voltaire’s tragedy D’Alzire. The author underscores his steadfast loyalty to Voltaire, pledging to staunchly defend him against adversaries and prosecutors. Baron de Rouville concludes the letter by expressing keen interest in the latest publications of the philosopher Sans Souci.

The manuscript is a copy of a letter in Wagnière’s hand. Voltaire reflects upon Epître, composed by Frederick II at Erfurt on 23 September. Addressed to Argens (Œuvres de Frédéric, xii.60), it distinctly portrays his contemplation of suicide; on the 28th the king sent a copy to Wilhelmina for Voltaire, having in the meanwhile sent him one direct (‘je vous l’envoie en vous suppliant d’en envoyer une copie à Voltaire, c’est ce que j’ai fait de même’); see Politische Correspondenz, xv.383; the hc sent to Voltaire passed at the R[ather]y sale, Charavay (Paris 30 novembre 1863), p.32, no.228; Voltaire had endorsed it ‘testament en vers du roi de Prusse, lorsqu’il voulait mourir, en 1757, quelques mois avant Rosbac, écrit de sa main’. Additionally, Voltaire remarks on his addresse’s interest in Antiquity that eclipses prevailing trends and ideas as well as stipulating the caveats of contemplating suicide.

The manuscript is a copy of a letter in Wagnière’s hand. The author references Epître, composed by Frederick II at Erfurt on 23 September, which clearly reflects his contemplation of suicide. Voltaire praises the glory and military prowess of Frederick II of Prussia purporting to dissuade the monarch from seriously committing to such a destructive pursuit. The author also mentions The Battle of Kolín where the Austrians defeated the Prussians and draws analogies between Frederick II of Prussia and Prince Louis II de Bourbon-Condé as well as Charles XII of Sweden. Additionally, the letter cites an ending of a poem, penned by Frederick II and featured in D7414.

The manuscript is a draft of a lettre en vers, starting with a poem numbering 34 lines, allegedly dedicated to the eldest sister of Frederick II, Wilhelmine of Prussia, Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. Voltaire reflects upon the recent death of one of the monarch’s siblings, praising her virtues, notably her diplomatic endeavours in negotiating peace across Europe. The author also mentions her interactions with Théodore Tronchin and urges his correspondent to attend to his health.