Letter from Voltaire to Sophia Friderika Wilhelmina von Preussen, margravine of Bayreuth, written in the hand of Wagnière and dated [c. 25 September 1757] [D7401].
Identifiers
CMV:
CMV33974
Repository:
Shelfmark:
5-240 (VII, f.9-10), ‘A Mme la margrave de Bareith, fin de septembre 1757 (M. 3394 à la date d’août)’
Title:
Letter from Voltaire to Sophia Friderika Wilhelmina von Preussen, margravine of Bayreuth, written in the hand of Wagnière and dated [c. 25 September 1757] [D7401].
Collection(s):
Related record(s):
No related manuscripts found.
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Content
People:
Incipit Diplomatic:
Madame, mon cœur est touché plus que jamais de la bonté
Incipit Modernised:
Madame, mon cœur est touché plus que jamais de la bonté
Language(s):
In Voltaire’s Hand:
No
Brief Summary:
Letter from Voltaire to Sophia Friderika Wilhelmina von Preussen, margravine of Bayreuth, written in the hand of Wagnière and dated [c. 25 September 1757].
Detailed Summary:
The manuscript is a copy of a letter in Wagnière’s hand. The author articulates unwavering loyalty to the addressee’s brother, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and contemplates the prospect of a promising diplomatic encounter between Frederick the Great and Marshal Richelieu to negotiate matters of peace. Whilst MS3 is dated ‘fin de 7bre 1757’, all the editions place the letter in August; this is because it has always been assumed that Frederick’s letter of 6 September to Richelieu (see Best.app.D158) was written in response to Voltaire’s suggestion, but this turns out not to have been the case; MS2 of D7400 is a sheet of paper folded once, thus forming four pages; D7400 occupies the first two pages and the top third of the third page; the draft of the present letter to Wilhelmina follows, Wagnière having inserted a heading at a later date; it is therefore certain that the present letter was written after, probably immediately after that to Frederick. Additionally, according to T. D. N. Besterman, the foliation is 9 (1 f).
Genre(s):
Status:
Physical Description
Material(s):
Extent:
2 ff.
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Binding:
The manuscript is bound with other documents in contemporary red morocco.
Additional Comments:
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History
Date:
c.25 September 1757
Ownership:
After Voltaire’s death, the MS passed into the ownership of Catherine II and remained in the imperial and then national collection thereafter.
Origin (transcript):
Origin:
Provenance:
This MS was probably taken to St Petersburg by Wagnière in the summer of 1779 along with the rest of Voltaire’s library.
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)
OCV Reference:
102, p. 182–183
OCV Manuscript Reference:
MS3′, p. 183
Record created by:
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