Autograph draft of a letter : Cirey, to Frederick the Great, 1737 Dec. 20.

Record ID: 
308626
Accession number: 
MA 986.6
Author: 
Voltaire, 1694-1778.
Credit: 
Purchased by J.P. Morgan Jr., 1923.
Description: 
1 item (4 p.) ; 23.1 cm
Notes: 

A retained draft, headed "Au Pce royal de prusse."
Voltaire lived at the Château de Cirey, the home of Gabrielle Emilie de Breteuil, Marquise du Chatelet, from 1734-1749.
Part of a large collection of letters from Voltaire to Frederick the Great. Letters have been cataloged individually; see collection-level record for more information.

Summary: 

Discussing memos Frederick sent him about the government of Czar Peter I; informing him that he is sending him a tragedy [Mérope]; saying that Frederick is much adored in France; distinguishing ideas, turn of phrase and poetic words in an attempt to instruct Frederick on how to discern the French words which belong to prose from those devoted to poetry; mentioning Wolf's metaphysics [Christian Wolff].

Provenance: 
Morrison collection; Sotheby's (London, 19 April 1918), p.289, in no.1768; purchased by J.P. Morgan Jr. from the London dealer J. Pearson & Co. in 1923.