Voltaire tells Jeanne Louise de Rochefort d’Ally not to have a hepatic colic, if she does not wish for Voltaire to travel to Burgundy in a frenzy to see one of the two people to whom he is equally attached. He confirms that he received a visit from Attorney General Séguier and d’Alembert on the same day, adding that if the two had met it would have been a much more pleasant scenario, though his meetings with each were charming. He goes on to note that the recipient has, like himself, been touched by the scissors of Abbé Terret, stating that they must both thank him for it. Voltaire speaks with regret of the disturbance Terret has brought to Ferney, noting that it had been progressing well, with foreigners populating the desert, houses being built, trade thriving and abundance beginning to vivify the region. He then says that one word has lost all of this and concludes by saying that the catastrophe poisons his final days, though he must not submit to this. He adds that he will send the recipient a little amusement in a few days time.

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

The receipt is for the sum of 450 livres. This money, the life annuity for the first six months for the Château de Ferney, was received from Henri Rieu.

The author of the document notes that they removed these papers from among the waste papers left at the Chateau de Ferney where tey were called in April 1780 by the father-in-law of the Marquis de Villette, who then became the owner of the property, taking control of the chateau and all of the furniture and effects which were assigned to an Englishman (Mr. Pigott) as tenant. The author adds that they will try to get hold of another little brochure that they saw in Pregay with the certificate and declaration attached. They note that this brochure contained some of Voltaire’s correspondence.

Voltaire writes that he has lent 15,000 livres to Messieurs de Crassy free of interest in order to allow them to regain their ancestral home, adding that he does not wish to buy the property. He concludes by arguing that it is not just for Chapeaurouge to sell it to the proprietors for a higher price than to the Jesuits, and recommends four arbitrators.

In the letter, Voltaire complains that troubles encountered through recent acquisitions of property have delayed his work on ‘les chevaliers et les czars’.