Letter from Voltaire to Cardinal Domenico Passionei, written from Fontainebleau and dated 12 October 1745.

In 1745, Voltaire attempted to attract the good graces of Pope Benedict XIV through the people close to him, such as Cardinal Passionei. In this letter, Voltaire writes that he received a letter in French from Rome dated 15 September [D3211] that was so elegantly written that he believed it be from one of the best writers in France but from the sentiments he recognised the author as Cardinal Passionei. He adds that a mind such as Passionei’s comes from all countries and must be eloquent in all languages. Voltaire writes that Passionei’s letter redoubles the grief he has had for a long time at not having seen Rome because it seems to him that all French people who cultivate letters should make this trip just as the Greeks went to visit the Egyptians. He adds that he is consoled by the book by the Marquis Orsi that Passionei sent him as it will strengthn his extreme taste for, and little knowledge of, the Italian language. He then turns to literary criticism, noting that he has known for a long time of Father Bouhour’s mistakes and of Despreaux’s unjust severity towards Aristotle and Tasso, claiming that both men only superficially knew what they were criticising and concluding that Despreaux felt Tasso’s small faults too much and did not pay enough attention to his great feats. He then turns to the writings of Passionei, remarking that he sees with extreme pleasure that Passionei is in the midst of cultivating beautiful letters.