Fair copy of a letter from Voltaire to Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand, written from Aux Délices and dated 12 September 1760 [D9222]
Identifiers
CMV:
CMV33244
Repository:
Shelfmark:
*KGV+ 11-194 (p.114-115), ‘Lettres de Mons. de Voltaire a mad. la marq. du Deffand’
Title:
Fair copy of a letter from Voltaire to Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand, written from Aux Délices and dated 12 September 1760 [D9222]
Collection(s):
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Link to Digital Resource:
OCLC Number:
767738209
Reproductions:
Content
People:
Incipit Diplomatic:
Vous êtes un grand et aimable enfant madame.
Incipit Modernised:
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In Own Hand:
Brief Summary:
Fair copy of a letter from Voltaire to Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand, written from Aux Délices and dated 12 September 1760.
Detailed Summary:
Voltaire calls Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand a big and kind child for not believing that Voltaire thought like she did. He reminds her that he is of a persecuted party which has nevertheless obtained the greatest advantage over his enemies: returning them to the ridiculous and odious. Voltaire asks if the Marquise has seen a letter sent from himself to King Stanislas of Poland thanking him for a book that he co-wrote with Brother Menou. He offers to send a copy if the Marquise does not have one, and promises to look for anything else that will amuse her. He stresses the importance of amusement and frivolity, noting that it is because we are frivolous that most people do not commit suicide. Voltaire concludes his letter by promising to send a copy of l’Empire de touttes les Russies, which he claims has a laughable preface that will console her for the boredom of the book.
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Physical Description
Material(s):
Extent:
2 pp.
Format:
Dimensions:
Height: 330 mm
Hands:
2
Watermark:
The paper is watermarked with three different watermarks: text reading ‘Sebille van Ketel & Wassenbergh’; a shield with the initials ‘SKW’; and text reading ‘D&C Blauw’.
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Binding:
Additional Comments:
The text is contained within frames of plummet. The binder’s blank flyleaves at the beginning and end are in c.19th wove paper. The binder has titled the collection: ‘Recueil de letters. Tome 1’.
Materiality Keywords:
Decorations:
Undecorated
Additions:
There are corrections and marginal notes scattered throughout. Additional pencil annotations have been added in a later hand.
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