VOLTAIRE: (1694-1778) French Enlightenment Writer and Philosopher. Voltaire is a pseudonym, his name being François-Marie Arouet. Voltaire is known for his attacks on Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion and expression, and separation of church and state. Very rare L.S., `V´, the first half of the letter is unpublished, two pages and a half, 4to, Ferney, 16th March 1776, to Monsieur Audibert, of the Academy of Marseille, in French. A very interesting content letter, Voltaire referring to the King of France, to the parliament and to a riot in Marseille. Voltaire states in part `Vous avez de très bons principes, Monsieur, sur ces grands Seigneurs don't vous me parlez, vous valez mieux qu´eux tous… Auriez-vous entendu paler, Monsieur, d´une querelle arrive à Marseille entre des ouviers, dans laquelle il y a eu du sang répandu. Un jeune homme nommé Audiot, neveu d´une de mes citoyennes, es ten prison pour cette aventure. Je vous demande pour lui votre protection… et ce que je vous demande instamment pour moi c´est que le vieux malade de Ferney puisse encore vous embrasser dans cette colonie naissante que j´agrandis tous les jours, malgré tous ces grands Seigneurs don't j´ai tant à me plaindre´ (“You have very good principles, Sir, on these great Lords of whom you speak to me, you are worth more than all of them... Have you heard, Sir, of a quarrel happening in Marseille between workmen, in which there was bloodshed. A young man named Audiot, nephew of one of my citizens, is in prison for this adventure. I ask you for your protection... and what I ask you earnestly for me is that the old patient of Ferney can still embrace you in this nascent colony that I am expanding every day, despite all these great Lords whose I have so much to complain about”) Voltaire further refers to the Parliament and to the King of France, and states in part `Vous savez peut-être que le parlement de Paris ayant dit au roi, dans une grande députation, que Sa Majesté dégradait la noblesse de son royaume en l´invitant à payer les journées de ceux qui travaillent aux chemins de leurs terres, le roi leur a répondu: “j´ai l´honneur d´être gentilhomme aussi, je paierai dans mes domaines la confection des chemins, et je ne me crois point dégradé pour cela”. Vous savez peut-être aussi que ce parlement ayant fait brûler par son bourreau, au pied de son grand escalier, un excellent livre en faveur du people…..Sa Majesté leur a ordonné de mettre leur décrét à néant, et leur a défendu de dénoncer des livres; elle leur a dit que ces dénonciations n´appartenaient qu´à son procureur general, qui même ne pouvait le faire qu´après avoir pris ses ordres´ (“You may know that the Parliament of Paris having told the King, in a large deputation, that His Majesty was degrading the nobility of his kingdom by inviting them to pay for the days of those who work on the roads of their lands, the King replied to them: “I have the honour of being a gentleman too, I will pay in my domains for the making of the roads, and I do not believe that I am degraded for that”. You may also know that this parliament having order its executioner to burn, at the foot of its grand staircase, an excellent book in favour of the people….. His Majesty ordered them to nullify their decree, and forbade them to denounce books; he told them that these denunciations belonged only to his general prosecutor, who even could only do so after taking his orders'

And before concluding states `Voila des jugements de Titus et de Marc Aurèle, mais Messieurs ne sont pas des Sénateurs de Rome´ (“There you have judgments of Titus and Marc Aurelius, but these Gentlemen are not Senators of Rome”) A letter of very interesting content. With address leaf bearing a red wax seal in fine condition with very small area of paper loss due to the seal opening. Together with an oblong 12mo receipt, dated in Ferney on the 15<sup>th</sup> March 1776, signed by Etienne Perrachon, a friend of Voltaire, in French, saying `I have asked Monsieur Audibert his protection in order to have a correspondent in Marseille who could supply…´ G to VG, 2

 

Voltaire refers to Louis XVI, King of France, who had only ascended to throne less than two years earlier, and who was only 21 years old at the time of the present letter.