Contemporary copy of a letter from Frederick II of Prussia to Voltaire, written from Małujowice and dated 13 May 1741 [D2480*]

Identifiers

CMV:

CMV33777

Repository:

Shelfmark:

MS 120.16

Title:

Contemporary copy of a letter from Frederick II of Prussia to Voltaire, written from Małujowice and dated 13 May 1741 [D2480*]

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Content

People:

Voltaire: Recipient
Unknown: Copyist

Incipit Diplomatic:

Les gazettes de Paris qui vous disoient à l’extremité, et Made Du chatelet ne Boujant de votre chevet m’ont fait trembles pour les jours d’un homme que j’aime.

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Brief Summary:

Contemporary copy of a letter from Frederick II of Prussia to Voltaire, written from Małujowice and dated 13 May 1741.

Detailed Summary:

Frederick writes that the reports in the Paris gazettes about Voltaire’s ill health and Madame Du Châtelet’s not moving from his bedside made him tremble, adding that Voltaire’s letters to him revealed a man that was sorry of life but that nevertheless still loved him. Frederick then turns to news of the war, writing that it was not his brother that was killed but his cousin Guillaume and adding that a number of good subjects, some of whom were close friends, were also killed. He writes that he will soon encounter new hazards and has seens and spoken a great deal about Maréchal de Belisle whom he describes as akin to Isaac Newton, at least in matters of war due to his amiability and intelligence with which he honours France. He concludes the letter by wishing for good news from Voltaire, assuring him that no one cares more about him than himself.

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Physical Description

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Extent:

1 f.

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Dimensions:

228 x 186 mm

Hands:

1

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Additional Comments:

The paper is significantly pockmarked. The page features a horizontal fold line and two vertical fold lines creating margins on both sides of the page. There is a stain in the bottom right-hand corner of f.1r, and some further staining across f.1v. There are a number of small holes across the leaf and minor damage to the lower left-hand edge of f.1r.

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Undecorated

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