Voltaire’s candidature was supported by six individuals between 1 April and 10 October 1743. His supporters were:

• George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield
• James Jurin
• Martin Folkes
• Shallett Turner
• William Jones
• James Bradley

His election was confirmed by Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Aubigny on 3 November that year.

Voltaire begins by saying that he encloses paperwork given to him by a Swiss scientist for an article of the Encyclopédie titled ‘Isis’. He then turns to discuss a sect in Paris that he calls the margouillistes (margouillis meaning slime), a name he believes should be applied to all sects. He claims that the margouillistes derive from the Jansenists and sends his compliments to père Berthier. Voltaire ends the letter by discussing plays and dinners undertaken in Lausanne. He asks what there is in Paris beyond the Encyclopédie.

M.F. Lomax asks questions about the nebuar hypothesis proposed in William Whewell’s Bridgwater treatise. He also enquires as to whether or not Sir Isaac Newton was a Unitarian, writing: ‘they see no difference between Newton and Voltaire and Laplace (not that they know any more than their names) and class them altogether as a set of clever learned infidels’.

A corrected manuscript copy of De la nouvelle Philosophie de Newton. The text presents variations on the versions printed in 1738 at Ledet in Amsterdam. The text seeks to introduce Newtonian ideas into France. This is bound with a manuscript copy of Essay sur la nature de feu et sur sa propagation published in 1738 by l’Académie des sciences de Paris.

A series of scientific notes relating to the principles of Newtonian gravitation. The longest set of notes concerns the conclusions drawn by Voltaire from the work of Broadley on the progression of light and the movements of the Earth which were published in les Élémens de la philosophie de Neuton (Amsterdam, 1738). Another, illustrated with several figures and equations, reflects on the illumination of celestial bodies. The third recounts pendulum experiments of gravitation.

Including: Southwood Smith’s ‘Philosophy of Health’, Lewes’ ‘Comte’s Philosophy of the Sciences’, De Tocqueville’s ‘Ancien Regime et la Revolution’, Combe on prison discipline, Hill on crime, Hancock on income tax, Newman’s lectures on political economy, Voltaire’s Philosophie, statistical papers on various matters (banking, cotton, wages in Glasgow, French finance, income tax etc).

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.

Jean le Rond d’Alembert writes that in 1746 or 1747 he gave to the Académie royale des sciences two or three mémoireson the orbit of the moon. He notes that he has not printed these as he has since producedsomething better on the same subject but that he would like either the original memoirs or copies of them returned to him along with the precise dates of when they were discussed. He apologises for the trouble this may cause the General Secretary, but asks that the mémoiresare sent as soon as possible via the post, adding that the General Secretary needs not worry about the postage price that Jean le Rond d’Alembert will pay. He adds that he thinks it would be good for at least one copy of the mémoires to remain in the Académie’s archives.