Alongside copies of letters from Voltaire to Quirini, there are printed copies of ‘Epistola celeberrimo Poetae Voltairio Brixiae 1752’ and ‘Épitre de Monsieur de Voltaire au Cardinal De Quirini’, also dating to 1752. The ‘Reponce du card. Quirini a M. de Voltaire’ is also included.

The accompanying billet in Voltaire’s hand asks if the recipient will be happy with this edition of the poem. The edition of the poem, printed in Paris in 1745, features the poem itself, a plan of the battle, and épître dedicated to the King, and a preliminary discourse.

The poem has been heavily corrected by Voltaire. In his billet to Moncrif, Voltaire states that he will see why Voltaire did not send him the poem, adding that of the four published editions none satisfy him. He concludes by asking Moncrif to tell the queen that he is not easily satisfied when he works for her husband and son, and entreats Moncrif to love him.

The poem has been heavily corrected throughout by Voltaire.

The poem is taken from the 1745 Imprimerie Royale, Paris edition and is accompanied by one of five hundred printed billets published by Jacques Anisson-Duperron in 1745 as an accompaniment to the edition of the poem printed by the Imprimerie Royale, Louvre. The billet has been addressed to François-Augustin Paradis de Moncrif at ‘rue des Bons Enfans, chez monsieur d’Argenson’ in Voltaire’s hand.

The receuil contains: an anonymous engraving; M. Lavergne, “Les elémens,” from the Mercure de France, January 1754 with added engravings (printed with annotations); “Quelques ana, ou rêveries philosophiques et théologiques” (manuscript); “Lettre sur la création, Par l’auteur de l’idée de la métaphysique, & c” (manuscript); “Daneche-mend-kan, philosophe mogol. Par l’auteur de l’idée de la métaphysique. 1740” (manuscript); Extracts from Voltaire, Montaigne and others (manuscript); “Observations sur l’histoire naturelle” from the Mercure de France, September 1750 (printed text with annotations and added engravings); Alphonse Leroy, “Manière de terminer l’accouchement dans lequel le bras de l’enfant est sorti de la matrice” (printed text with annotations); Soumain, Relation de l’ouverture du corps d’une femme trouvé presque sans coeur (Paris: Nicholas Pepie, 1728; printed text with annotations); “Extrait des anecdotes de médecine” (manuscript); “La fameuse épître à Manon, vulgairement dite l’épître au cu de Manon : par M. d’Arnaud 1772” (manuscript); Le Bon Curé Jeannot et sa servante (Londres, 1784; printed text); Voltaire, Epître à Uranie (printed text with annotations and engraving added); Parapilla, poëme en cin chants (A Florence, 1776; printed text with annotations and engraving added); multiple printed engravings and A madame de … À qui l’on avoit donné le nom de Cu-pie (printed text with annotations); “Dialogue de la main, du pié et de la bouche : par Mlle Des Roches. 1579. Avec un Mussof sur la main. 1777.” (manuscript).

The inscription reads:

‘Le Jay fait remettre par le sieur Rosset, libraire à Lyon, une lepreuve de cette estampe a Voltaire, qui pour reponse lui fit tenir ces quatre vers.

Le jay vient de mettre Voltaire
Entre la Beaumelle et Fréron:
Ce serait vraiment une Calvaire,
S’il s’y trouvait un bon larron.’

For more on the copy of the book, see PQ 2080 H4 1730.