Voltaire discusses the first translation of Shakespeare into French by Pierre Le Tourneur. He writes that l’academie must read to the public ‘this anti barbarian this anti Gilles [William] Shakespear[e]’ on the 24 august day of St Louis. Voltaire notes that the text must be made less unworthy of being read on such a solemn day and asks that the manuscript is resent to him so that he can correct it.