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 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.

Voltaire opens by saying that the recipient makes his heart bleed with the news that the Duc de Bourgogne is near death, and that the Duc de Berry is afflicted with the same illness. He adds that he does not want to believe it because the news is too distressing. Voltaire then turns to political concerns, discussing the Congress of Breda and negotiations of peace with England. He ends by saying that he has read Spartacus, leant to him by Mr. Saurin, writing that it is not touching but contains some beautiful moments.

~With thanks to Rumi Kitahara for her assistance in identifying this manuscript.

Leslie begins by thanking d’Adhemar’s brother for sending him a copy of Voltaire’s Siècle de Louis XIV. He then laments the fate of Voltaire who, after his star shone in Europe for so long, can now hardly find asylum there.

Included in the collection is: XVII, 13. Woodmason, James. to Benjamin Franklin, 1780 January 4. A.L.S. 2p. London. Has shipped the paper; M. Beaumarchais’s agent, M. Le Tailleir, returns to England in three weeks and will take charge to any letters; he has purchased Baskerville type for Voltaire’s works. Superiority of English over foreign papers. Talk concerning peace very confident.

Included in the collection is an autograph letter signed from James Woodmason to Benjamin Franklin, written from London and dated 4 January 1780. In the letter, Woodmason notes that he has shipped the paper, adding that M. Beaumarchais’s agent, M. Le Tailleir, returns to England in three weeks and will take charge to any letters. He also notes that he has purchased Baskerville type for Voltaire’s works, before going on to discuss the superiority of English paper over others. He concludes by stating that recent talk concerning peace has been very confident.

Frederick includes lines of poetry, and discusses the idea of peace.

Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness begins by discussing a recent communication made by the Prussian Minister regarding the negotiation recently opened at Hamburg. This negotiation aimed at iniciating peace between Frederick II of Prussia and Czarina Elizaveta Petrovna of Russia. Darcy also makes note of discussions of this general pacification in a letter from Voltaire to Frederick II of Prussia.