Voltaire Correspondence, 1742-1777
Owning Institution: University of Southern California Digital Library
About this Collection
A collection of correspondence to and from Voltaire, as well as three pages of poetry written by Voltaire. Many letters in the collection are either to or from Frederick the Great, who was the King of Prussia from 1740-1786. The correspondence between Voltaire and Frederick, as well as all the other correspondence in the collection covers such topics as freedom of expression in 18th Century France and wars which were going on in Europe at the time. Voltaire was sick and apparently bed-ridden while he wrote some of the later letters. Voltaire incorporated some poetry directly into his letters, but in this collection there are also three pages of poetry dedicated to various people.There are 32 items in this collection, the majority of which are correspondence between Frederick the Great of Prussia and Voltaire. In the letters between Frederick and Voltaire, they discuss such topics as religious freedom and freedom of expression in France, the Catholic Church, the Seven Years War, the War of Austrian Succession, the health of Voltaire, and the talent and skill of both men in writing poetry. There are also some other letters from Voltaire to various friends including the Derrey de Rocqueville, who was a lawyer in the Parliament of Toulouse. These letters again discuss religious matters, certain legal cases where a French citizen was unjustly prosecuted for being of the wrong faith, and the health of Voltaire. Three pages of poems are also included in this collection, all written by Voltaire, and which include flowery language, many metaphors, and references to mythological characters and gods. Several of the letters are signed by Voltaire. All of Frederick the Great's letters are signed by him. View this collection on the contributor's website.
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