Autograph letter from Jean Baptiste Nicolas Formont to Voltaire, dated August/September 1735 [D907a].
Identifiers
CMV:
CMV33948
Repository:
Shelfmark:
5-240 (III, f.1-6), ‘Lettre de Formont à Voltaire, s. d.’
Title:
Autograph letter from Jean Baptiste Nicolas Formont to Voltaire, dated August/September 1735 [D907a].
Collection(s):
Related record(s):
No related manuscripts found.
Link to Digital Resource:
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Reproductions:
Content
People:
Incipit Diplomatic:
Toy qui sans avoir de modèle
Incipit Modernised:
Toi qui sans avoir de modèle
Language(s):
In Voltaire’s Hand:
No
Brief Summary:
Autograph letter from Jean Baptiste Nicolas Formont to Voltaire, dated August/September 1735.
Detailed Summary:
The manuscript is a lettre en vers written in the hand of Jean Baptiste Nicolas Formont. It starts with a poem comprised of 27 lines, fashioned as an imitation of Virgil. The author discusses what makes a good translation of a poem, reflects upon the interplay between content and form, remarks upon the role of rhyme and epic poetry, and contrasts the poetic renditions in Latin with those in French. ED1 dates this letter October/November 1735. According to T. D. N. Besterman, D916 is almost certainly Voltaire’s reply, but the fact that Voltaire waited for Fromon’s translation for a month seems to imply that the present letter was sent separately and received earlier; hence the date proposed here.
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Physical Description
Material(s):
Extent:
5 ff.
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Dimensions:
Hands:
1
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Binding:
The manuscript is bound with other documents in contemporary red morocco.
Additional Comments:
Materiality Keywords:
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History
Date:
October/November 1735
Ownership:
Origin (transcript):
Origin:
Provenance:
Bibliography
Bibliography:
Fernand Caussy, Inventaire des manuscrits de la bibliothèque de Voltaire conservée à la bibliothèque impériale publique de Saint-Pétersbourg (Geneva, Slatkine reprints, 1970)
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