Mallet du Pan writes that Mr. Chirol has informed him about Thoruneysen’s Voltaire prospectus, something he strongly encourages. He adds that such an edition would be do the Swiss press a great honour and that he is delighted that it has ended the ‘villainy’ of those from Lausanne. Mallet du Pan offers his services wherever he might be useful, adding that he spoke to Wagnière a few months ago, and that Wagnière was in possession of several short works that were not included in the Beaumarchais edition. He recommends Thoruneysen contacts Wagnière about his edition, as well as Gabriel Cramer whom he claims also has ‘valuable pieces’.

The poem appeared in a letter from Voltaire to Adrien Michel Hyancinthe Blin de Sainmore, written from Ferney and dated 15 December 1761.

The poem appeared in a letter from Voltaire to Adrien Michel Hyancinthe Blin de Sainmore, written from Ferney and dated 15 December 1761.

The poem appeared in a letter from Voltaire to Adrien Michel Hyancinthe Blin de Sainmore, written from Ferney and dated 15 December 1761.

The copy was produced by Blin de Sainmore. The letter consists of 16 lines of verse in four stanzas known as ‘Stances à Monsieur Blin de Sainmore’.

The letter opens with nineteen lines of verse known as ‘Épître à Monsieur le Président Hénault’. The final seven words of the letter have been added in Voltaire’s hand.

The letter opens with nineteen lines of verse known as ‘Épître à Monsieur le Président Hénault’.

The letter opens with seven lines of verse known as ‘À Monsieur de Chennevières’.

This copy of the letter is limited to the verse, known as ‘Vers sur Monsieur S[ilhouette], contrôleur général’ and a few words of the prose. It is dated 8 August 1759 and is said to have been written from Paris. Other copies of the text, however, give the date as 26 May 1759 and claim to have been written from Les Délices instead.