Letter signed from Voltaire to Jacques de Rochefort d’Ally, chevalier de Rochefort d’Ally and Jeanne Louise de Rochefort d’Ally [née Pavée de Provenchères], written in the hand of Wagnière and dated 18 December 1772 [D18092]

Identifiers

CMV:

CMV37691

Repository:

Shelfmark:

RR Auction, Lot 747, ‘Voltaire: “The old sick man of Ferney” implores two friends to keep their unedited copy of ‘The Laws of Minos’ private, as it “is very incorrect and it will be necessary to redo two pages”’

Title:

Letter signed from Voltaire to Jacques de Rochefort d’Ally, chevalier de Rochefort d’Ally and Jeanne Louise de Rochefort d’Ally [née Pavée de Provenchères], written in the hand of Wagnière and dated 18 December 1772 [D18092]

Collection(s):

Related record(s):

No related manuscripts found.

Link to Digital Resource:

Link to Archive Catalogue:

OCLC Number:

Reproductions:

Content

Incipit Diplomatic:

Monsieur Le Comte de Rochefort, et la vielle Madame dix neuf ans, étant partis le 17e. de Macon

Incipit Modernised:

Monsieur le comte de Rochefort et la vieille madame, âgée de dix-neuf ans, étant partis le 17e de Macon

Language(s):

In Voltaire’s Hand:

Partly

Brief Summary:

Letter signed from Voltaire to Jacques de Rochefort d’Ally, chevalier de Rochefort d’Ally and Jeanne Louise de Rochefort d’Ally [née Pavée de Provenchères], written in the hand of Wagnière and dated 18 December 1772.

Detailed Summary:

Voltaire begins by saying that the Count de Rochefort, and the old woman of nineteen years old, left Macon. According to the letter written by the trio, Voltaire adds that he expects that the travellers will soon be either in Paris or Vandoeuvre. He advises the travellers that they will not see ‘Les Lois de Minos’ because they will be in their quarters when it will be presented and begs them not to show the ‘Lois’ to anyone other than D’Alembert. Voltaire goes on to say that he doesn’t think it necessary to make even the slightest reasonable allusion; but one must always expect the worst from frivolous, troubled and mean spirits. What’s more, he adds, the copy that they have is incorrect and it two pages need to be redone. Voltaire concedes that such ‘bagatelles’ are not deserving of much attention but as there are people in the world who seek to take every opportunity to harm, he asks that the recipients do not give them this opportunity. He ends by stating that Madame Denis very respectfully thanks ‘Madame dix neuf ans’ and that he himself does the same for the third person to whom he has the honour to address his letter. The closing of the letter is added in Voltaire’s own hand. Here, he states that he throws himself at the feet of the old lady.

Genre(s):

Status:

Physical Description

Material(s):

Extent:

1 f.

Format:

Dimensions:

197 x 157 mm

Hands:

2

Watermark:

Countermark:

Binding:

Unbound

Additional Comments:

Materiality Keywords:

Decorations:

Undecorated

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Marginalia Keywords:

Inclusions:

History

Date:

18 December 1772

Ownership:

Origin (transcript):

Origin:

Provenance:

Passed at the RR Auction sale (Lot 747) on 15 January 2014 where it sold for $5,078.

Bibliography

Bibliography:

OCV Reference:

OCV Manuscript Reference:

Record created by:

Zoe Screti

Record created on:

16 March 2026