Voltaire notes that his strongest desire was to be naturalised in England, and that the Royal Society, prompted by Folkes, have given him that great honour. He lists the English writes who have influenced him: Shakespeare, Addison, Dryden, and Pope, and adds that he also entered into the ‘temple of philosophy’ where he admired the ‘altar of Newton’. Voltaire states that he was so bold as to introduce Newton into France, but that in doing so he became not only a confessor to his faith but a martyr also. He then turns to press, bemoaning and satirising its restrictions, and noting that the Royal Society has rewarded him for his sufferings. He ends by paying his respect to the brethren of the Royal Society and stating his desire to cross the sea in order to give them his ‘hearty thanks’.

The Royal Society dates the letter to 29 November 1743, however Besterman instead gives the date as 25 November 1743.

Voltaire notes that his strongest desire was to be naturalised in England, and that the Royal Society, prompted by Folkes, have given him that great honour. He lists the English writes who have influenced him: Shakespeare, Addison, Dryden, and Pope, and adds that he also entered into the ‘temple of philosophy’ where he admired the ‘altar of Newton’. Voltaire states that he was so bold as to introduce Newton into France, but that in doing so he became not only a confessor to his faith but a martyr also. He then turns to press, bemoaning and satirising its restrictions, and noting that the Royal Society has rewarded him for his sufferings. He ends by paying his respect to the brethren of the Royal Society and stating his desire to cross the sea in order to give them his ‘hearty thanks’.

The Royal Society dates the letter to 29 March 1743, however Besterman instead gives the date as 25 November 1743. As Voltaire was elected on 3 November 1743, we have followed Besterman’s dating here.

Voltaire writes that it will be three months before the Crammers are able to provide copies of the Histoire Universelle, adding that he is working on the text as much as his poor health allows, and that as soon as the work is ready for publication he will try his best to fulfil the wishes of the recipient. He concludes by saying that he wishes he could provide the recipient with more solid proof of the true esteem and feelings he has for them.

In the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s catalogue entry, the recipient of this letter is given as Jean-Baptiste Rousseau. However, in the textual notes of both D8975 and D6577, Besterman instead suggests that the recipient was M. Durand.

Beman thanks Caldwell for going to the trouble of sourcing books from him. He discusses various editions that he has printed, including:

• A volume of Voltaire’s works
• Morany’s Dictionary
• Boyle’s Dictionary
• Works by Vallance
• Buffon’s Historia Naturello das Orseaux
• Works by Abbe Winckelman

Beman opens with a list of twenty books that he sent via Captain John Haslope of the ‘Charming Sally’ to Mr Dally at the Customs House in Dublin. He adds that the total value of the books was £509 5s. Featured amongst these books is a volume of Voltaire’s works for Lord Charlemont.

Beman opens by saying that he is enclosing a bill for £50 16s for books that he has already sent to Caldwell. He adds that he has recently published two new editions ‘under his own Eye’. The first if an edition of Voltaire’s complete works. the second is the Dictionnaire Encyclopédique

The letter discusses matters concerning the couple’s family, and gives news on their friends. Gravelot notes that he is currently working on some engravings to be used in the works of Voltaire.

Voltaire writes that he sent Walther the third volume more than three weeks ago, and asks that Walther confirms receipt of the volume, adding that he will have the fourth soon. He ends by asking Walther to let him know if there is a better way to get packages to him.

Pieter Abraham D’Hondt writes to his partner, Thomas Becket, in London to discuss the publication of books by numerous authors, including Voltaire, and their being shipped to England. He speculates on the authorship of the Lettres Secrettes and the Dictionnaire philosophique, remarking that: ‘You may depend upon it that these 2 Books are really wrote by Voltaire; as to the Lettres Secrettes, they have in my opinion only the name of Voltaire, and the title wc. is good, to recommend them, but their intrinsic value is very trifling, it is otherwise with the Dictionnaire, wc. no doubt will sell much, but I do not know if it is advisable to advertise it, it is certainly a performance sc. by religious people will be numbered in the class of bad books, for it is clear that the Author makes a jest of revealed religion, this character is I believe sufficient to persuade you not to translate it’, adding that it has been burned in Geneva by the Common Executioner.

The list accompanying the Lee Collection suggests that this letter was intended for Voltaire. However, given that it is dated 1786 (after Voltaire’s death), and that the name ‘M. du Perron’ is written at the bottom of the letter, it is likely that the recipient was Abraham-Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron who, in 1763 was elected an associate of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres and began publishing materials from his travels. Louis-Charles-Auguste Le Tonnelier, baron de Breteuil opens by stating that he has been informed that the printing of the first volume of the extract submitted to the Comité de l’académie du belles lettres has barely begun at the Imprimerie Royale. He notes that the King’s intention in establishing the committe was that the public would quickly recognise its usefulness. He acknowledges the recipient’s frustration at this slow progress.