La vie de Molière
Identifiers
CMV:
CMV32922
Repository:
Shelfmark:
MS 67
Title:
La vie de Molière
Collection(s):
Link to Archive Catalogue:
Link to Digital Resource:
OCLC Number:
Reproductions:
Content
People:
Incipit Diplomatic:
Le goust de bien des lecteurs pour les choses frivoles, et l’envie de faire un volume de ce que ne devrait remplir que peu de pages, sont cause que la vie des hommes celebres est presque toujour remplie de details inutils et de contes populaires aussi faux qu’insipides.
Incipit Modernised:
Le goût de bien de lecteurs pour les choses frivoles, et l’envie de faire un volume de ce que ne devrait remplir que peu de pages, sont cause que la vie des hommes célèbres est presque toujours remplie de détails inutiles et de contes populaires aussi faux qu’insipide.
Language(s):
In Own Hand:
–
Brief Summary:
A contemporary copy of Vie de Molière given by Voltaire to Cideville. A note on the flyleaf claims that the copy was made by Voltaire himself, but it appears instead to be in the hand of Jean-Louis Wagnière.
Detailed Summary:
In a letter to Jean Baptiste Nicolas Formont dated 14 February 1734, Voltaire writes that Formont is to announce again to Cideville that he will have La vie de Molière and a historical and critical abstract of his plays, by order of Mr. the Keeper of the Seals, to put at the head of the 4o edition of Molière, noting that these texts will be produced ‘le tout de ma façon’. The manuscript begins with a summary of Molière’s life. Voltaire then lists his plays, describing in brief what they were and when and where they were staged, and offering a brief critical analysis. The plays included are:
L’etourdy ou les contrtemps. A comedy in verse and in 5 acts. First performed in Lyon in 1653. Later performed in Paris in December 1658 at the Theatre du petit Bourbon.
Le Depit amoureux. Performed at the Theatre du petit Bourbon.
Le pretieuses Ridicules. A comedy in prose first performed in Provence and later performed in Paris in November 1659 at the Theatre du petit Bourbon.
Le cocu imaginaire. A comedy in 3 acts in verse. Performed in Paris on 28 May 1660.
Dom garcie de navare, ou Le Prince jaloux. A heroic comedy in verse and in 5 acts presented for the first time on 4 February 1661.
L’ecole des maris. A comedy in verse and in 3 acts performed in Paris on 24 June 1661.
Les Facheux. A comedy in verse and in 3 acts performed before the King in August 1661 and in Paris at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 4 November of the same year.
L’Ecole des Femmes. A comedy in verse and in 5 acts performed at Paris at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 26 December 1662.
La Critique de l’Ecole Des Femmes. A small piece in prose and in 1 act performed in Paris at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 1 June 1663.
L’Impromptu de Versailles. A small piece in prose and in 1 act performed at Versailles on 14 October 1663 and in Paris on 4 November of the same year.
La Princesse d’Elide ou les plaisirs de l’isle enchantée. Performed on 7 MArch 1664 at Versailles at the great feast that the King gave to the Queens.
Le mariage forcé. A small piece in prose and in one act performed at the Louvre on 29 January 1664 and at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 15 November of the same year.
l’Amour Medecin. A small comedy in prose and in 1 act performed at Versailles on 15 September 1665 and at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 22 September of the same year.
Dom Juan ou Le Festin de Pierre. A comedy in prose and in 5 acts performed at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 15 February 1665.
Le Sicilien ou l’amour peintre. A comedy in prose and in 1 act performed in St. Germain en Laye in 1667 and at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 10 June of the same year.
Melicerte. A heroic pastoral performed at St Germain en Laye for the King at Balet des muses in December 1666.
Le misantrope. A comedy in verse and in 5 acts performed at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 4 June 1666.
Le Medecin malgre lui. A comedy in prose and in 3 acts performed at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 6 August 1666.
Amphitrion. Performed at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 13 January 1668.
Les Tourberies de scapin Jouées.
l’Avare. A comedy in prose and in 5 acts performed in Paris at the Theatre du Palais Roiale on 9 September 1668.
George Dandin ou Le mari confondu.
L’Imposteur ou Le Tartuffe. Performed without interruption in public on 5 February 1669.
Monsieur de Pourceaugnac. A comedy ballet in prose and in 3 acts performed in Chambord for the King in September 1669 and at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 15 November of the same year.
Le Bourgeois gentilhomme. A comedy ballet in prose and in 5 acts performed in Chambord in December 1670 and in Paris on the 23rd of the same month.
Psiché Tragedie. A ballet in free verse and in 5 acts performed before the King in the Salle des machines du palais des Thuilleries in January and during the carnival in 1670. Later performed in front of the public at the Theatre du Palais Roial in 1671.
Les Femmes scavantes. A comedy in verse and in 5 acts performed at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 11 March 1672.
Les amants magnifiques. A comedy ballet in prose and in 5 acts performed before the King in St Germain in February 1670.
La comtesse d’Escarbagnas. A small comedy in prose and in 1 act performed before the King in St Germain in February 1672 and in Paris at the Theatre du Palais Roial on 8 July of the same year.
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Physical Description
Material(s):
Extent:
58 ff.
Format:
Dimensions:
229 x 180 mm
Hands:
2
Watermark:
The paper is watermarked with a shield, from which decends a number 4 attached to a letter ‘V’.
Countermark:
Binding:
The manuscript is bound in nineteenth-century red morocco gilt.
Additional Comments:
There are small in stains on f.5r. There are two small holes on f.14, one on f.30, two on f.31, three on f.34, one on f.38, one on f.41. There are small remnants of green wax on f.37-38. There is a minor tear to the bottom edge of f.39. F.38v and 39r are heavily discoloured, as is the header of f.40r. The bottom corner of f.49 is torn. Thin green ribbon has been attached to the manuscript to act as a place marker.
Materiality Keywords:
Decorations:
Undecorated
Additions:
A second hand has added a note at the bottom of f.4v that expands upon the information provided in the body of the text. The same hand has added an explicatory note on the flyleaf claiming that the manuscript copy was produced by Voltaire himself. Marginal notes expanding on the main text have also been added in Wagnière’s hand in the margins of f.10v-11r. Capital letters have been added to the bottoms of pages throughout the manuscript at intervals of 12 folios (with the exception of letter ‘A’. A letter ‘A’ has been added to the bottom of f.3r, a letter ‘B’ at the bottom of f.12r, a letter ‘C’ at the bottom of f.24r, a letter ‘D’ at the bottom of f.36r, and a letter ‘E’ at the bottom of f.48r. There are some minor corrections to the text throughout in the form of crossing out, the addition of corrected text superscript, and the writing over of incorrect text.
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History
Date:
Ownership:
Given by Voltaire to Cideville (See letter D710). A bookplate on the inside of the front cover suggests that the manuscript was owned by Samuel Bowne Duryea (1845-1892) of Brooklyn, New York. It was also owned by Dorsay, and then Noël.
Origin (transcript):
Origin:
Provenance:
Passed at the Leavitt sale in New York in 1888 (Lot 181). Passed again at the Sotheby’s sale in London on 3 July 1973 (Lot 372).
Bibliography
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OCV Reference:
OCV Manuscript Reference: