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

This version of the text is copied from RN76 (OCV, Vol.49A, p.64). The copyist has reproduced the typographical errors of this edition.

The MS forms part of a volume that also contains:

• Extrait d’un manuscrit trouvé après la mort de Jean Meslier
• Essais sur la recherche de la vérité.

The text of this MS is close to the clandestine editions of the text produced in 1784. Marginal notes restore the text to the original version (CMV37555). The MS is part of a bound collection known to have been used by the Kehl editors.

The MS was composed, according to a notes in Voltaire’s hand on f.79v, f.81r, f.95v, and f.98r, between 6 November 1759 and 12 February 1760. The notes states that the MS was composed at Les Délices. F.1-80 are written primarily in Wagnière’s hand with corrections by Voltaire. F.81-99 are written primarily in Voltaire’s hand. The first half seems to be a clean copy of the text. The second half appears to be a working document.

The letter contains a poem known as ‘A Monsieur D[es] M[ahis]’.