The variant appears in marginal notes on p.85 of a 1742 edition of the Œuvres melées published by Bousquet. The variant concerns verse 91.

There are variants at lines a, b, 2, 4, 11, 14, 19, 26, 30, 35-36.

The dating of this MS is unclear. L’Écossaise was taken out of the repertory on 12 May 1788 and was later revived in 1792-93. It seems most likely that this copy was produced for the reprise, given that Bouthier Darcourt helped Delaporte and Bonneval in copying plays from December 1788. However, it is equally possible that Caron produced this copy of the text during his trial period as assistant secrétaire-souffleur from 1770 to 1772.

Official approval of the MS has been recorded on p.107 in a note reading: ‘Lu et aprouvé les changemens. A Paris le 8 juin 1779. Suard. Vue l’aprobation, Permis de representer et d’imprimer ce 9 juin 1779. Lenoir.’

The MS consists of five fascicules bound together and was submitted to the censor, Crébillon by the comédiens in 1761. His official approval is noted on the verso of the final leaf: ‘Jay lu par ordre de Monsieur le Lieutenant Général de Police l’Ecueil du Sage et je crois que l’on peut en permettre la représentation. Ce 26 9bre 1761. Crébillon. Vû L’aprobation Permis de representer ce 28 9bre 1761. de Sartine.’

The poem would later be included in a letter from Voltaire to Nicolas-Claude Thieriot, written from Les Délices and dated 8 May 1758 [D7728].

The copy begins at l.244 of the text and runs to l.276.