Frederick the Great to Voltaire...8, 1770 January-1770 August
Scope and Content
In these 5 letters, Frederick the Great compliments Voltaire on his genius, and discusses topics common throughout many of his letters, including such topics as freedom of religion and of opinion, theology, superstitions, the Vatican, and the philosophers. Three of the letters in this folder include a poem in the body of the letters. The poems appear to be written by Frederick.
The letter dated May 24, 1770 contains an interesting line which may be a genuine compliment or a sarcastic criticism of the Catholic Church, it is difficult to tell. "Among all the saints of the Church, I don't know anyone who is comparable, and I will begin by saying, Saint Voltaire, pray for us."
Each letter is signed by Frederick.
Dates
- Creation: 1770 January-1770 August
Creator
- From the Collection: Voltaire (Person)
- From the Collection: Frederick, King of Prussia, II (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Extent
From the Collection: 0.21 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
French
Physical Description
5 letters
Repository Details
Part of the USC Libraries Special Collections Repository
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-0189 United States
specol@usc.edu