Letter from Voltaire to Frederick II of Prussia, written from Ferney and dated 19 March 1773 [D18255]
Identifiers
CMV:
CMV36687
Repository:
Shelfmark:
5-240 (VII, f.38-9), ’19 mars 1773, à Ferney, au roi de Prusse (M. 8788)’
Title:
Letter from Voltaire to Frederick II of Prussia, written from Ferney and dated 19 March 1773 [D18255]
Collection(s):
Link to Archive Catalogue:
Link to Digital Resource:
OCLC Number:
Reproductions:
Content
People:
Incipit Diplomatic:
Sire, Vôtre Lettre du 29 février, qui est aparamment datée selon vôtre ancien stile hérétique, ne m’en est pas moins précieuse.
Incipit Modernised:
Seigneur, Votre Lettre du 29 février, qui est apparemment datée selon votre ancien utile hérétique, ne m’en est pas moins précieuse.
Language(s):
In Voltaire’s Hand:
No
Brief Summary:
Letter from Voltaire to Frederick II of Prussia, written from château de Ferney and dated 19 March 1773.
Detailed Summary:
This letter is a response to D18234, which was sent by Frederick II of Prussia to Voltaire on 1 March 1773. Voltaire begins by praising his correspondent’s style and philosophical insights, while also mentioning his recent illness. He then discusses the Russo-Turkish War, involving Catherine II of Russia and Mustafa III of the Ottoman Empire, and refers to his book Les Loix de Minos, which his correspondent received by 4 April 1773. According to T. D. N. Besterman, the foliation is 38.
Keyword(s):
Status:
Physical Description
Material(s):
Extent:
2 ff.
Format:
Dimensions:
Hands:
2
Watermark:
Countermark:
Binding:
The manuscript is bound with other documents in contemporary red morocco.
Additional Comments:
Materiality Keywords:
Decorations:
Additions:
The MS is a copy of original document: transcription, with a few autograph additions.
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History
Date:
19 March 1773
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:
123, p. 341–342
OCV Manuscript Reference:
123, p. 342
Record created by:
Record created on: