Origin: Leiden, the Netherlands

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Voltaire writes that he only received the Baron’s two letters yesterday, adding that it is true that Rousseau and two or three others in Paris have been slandering him. Voltaire notes that he thanks them as absurd, self-destructing lies only harm their authors. He then discusses the rumours, writing that Rousseau had claimed that he had come to Leiden to profess atheism and that he had had a very heated argument with Sgravesende. Voltaire notes that his friend and master Mr. Sgravesende was so indignant about this that he publicly worte: ‘je déclare qu’un mensonge si impudent n’a point été imaginé par un Hollandois. C’est ce que je soutiens pour l’honneur de notre nation.’ Voltaire then turns to his works, noting that a very fine edition has been begun, and that they will contain nothing that is unworthy of an honest man. He ends the letter by stating that he is leaving for England but will return to Leiden in June.

Repository: Houghton Library
Date: 19 February [1737]
CMV: cmv33347