Composees a la demande de Louise-Dorothee de Saxe-Meiningen, admiratrice des ecrits historiques de Voltaire qui souhaitait lire une histoire du Saint Empire Romain Germanique issue de sa plume, les Annales de l'Empire se presentent comme le pendant de l'Abrege chronologique de l'histoire de France de Henault, ainsi que des Memoires pour servir a l'histoire de la maison de Brandebourg de Frederic II, que Voltaire avait lus a Potsdam en 1751. Flatte, l'historien se mit a la tache, heureux de pouvoir opposer une liste d'empereurs aux electeurs de Frederic. Ainsi propose-t-il l'histoire de l'Empire depuis Charlemagne jusqu'a Charles VI, dont la mort en 1740 donna lieu a la guerre de Succession d'Autriche, conflit dont la memoire allemande conservait encore le plus vif souvenir. L'ouvrage est compose a une allure rapide, Voltaire puisant dans les bibliotheques privees des amis qui le recoivent a tour de role au cours de ses peregrinations en 1753. Que le texte contienne des erreurs n'est guere surprenant, mais il ne merite pas de tomber dans l'oubli: comme toujours, le jugement personnel de Voltaire, historien et philosophe, apporte une perspective nouvelle aux evenements et aux personnages qui forment un corps qu'il declare 'ni saint, ni empire, ni romain'.

This volume brings together a range of miscellaneous short texts by Voltaire, mostly undated and principally manuscript fragments. From thoughts on the souls of animals, to how he organised his papers to a joke proxy granting unlimited powers to act on his behalf, these scraps shed light on Voltaire's working methods and on the possible subjects of texts that he never published. Most notably, it contains a supplement adding nineteen fragments to the edition of Voltaire's Notebooks (OCV, vol.81-82). Contributors: David Adams, Andrew Brown, Marie-Helene Cotoni, Nicholas Cronk, Jean Dagen, Stephanie Gehanne Gavoty, Myrtille Mericam-Bourdet, Christiane Mervaud, Gillian Pink, John Renwick, Gerhardt Stenger, David Williams.

This volume contains the general introduction to Voltaire's work of global history. Written by an international team of experts, the introduction covers the genesis, publication and reception of the work, as well as offering a detailed analysis of Voltaire's historical vision. It also benefits from a full bibliography of editions published in Voltaire's lifetime. An indispensable resource for historians and students of the Enlightenment.

Au cours des derniers mois de la vie, Voltaire se consacre a un projet de grande envergure, ses "Dialogues d'Evhemere", qui font la synthese de sa pensee en matiere de religion et de philosophie. L'entree triomphale a Paris sera par la suite l'occasion de retrouvailles avec l'Academie francaise, pour laquelle Voltaire projette un nouveau dictionnaire de langue francaise, ouvrage qui ne verra malheureusement pas le jour. Les Comediens-Francais de meme recoivent sa derniere esquisse de tragedie, "Agathocle". Ce volume regroupe egalement de nombreux courts textes de cette periode, y compris le poeme "Les Adieux a la vie".

Contents: Discours de Maitre Belleguier, ancien avocat, sur le texte propose par l'universite de la ville de Paris, pour le sujet des prix de l'annee 1773 Edition critique par John Renwick. Le Philosophe par Monsieur Du Marsay Edition critique par Nicholas Cronk. Lettre anonyme adressee aux auteurs du 'Journal encyclopedique' au sujet d'une nouvelle epitre de Boileau a Monsieur de Voltaire Critical edition by Nicholas Cronk. Lettre sur la pretendue comete Critical edition by Robert L. Walters. Voltaire et l'affaire Morangies 1773 Editions critiques par John Renwick. Fragment sur le proces criminel de Monbailli Edition critique par John Renwick. La Tactique Critical edition by John R. Iverson. Aventure de la memoire Edition critique par John RenwickFragment d'une lettre sur les dictionnaires satiriques avec La Reponse a cette lettre par Monsieur de Morza, edition critique par Jeroom Vercruysse. Shorter verse of 1773 Critical edition by Simon Davies."

The year 1749 was to prove a sombre one for Voltaire. His relationships with Mme Du Chatelet and Mme Denis were both in highly emotional and uncertain stages, culminating in Voltaire's utter devastation at the death of Mme Du Chatelet in September, and his ensuing need to lay the foundations of a new existence, initially in Paris and with his oldest friends. It is against this backdrop that one must envisage his literary activities in 1749. This year saw the highly successful comedy "Nanine" published, together with propaganda works arguing in favour of increasing the commodity and beauty of Paris, the capital from which he spent so much of his life an exile. At a time of crisis for Voltaire both in his personal relations and at court, he also wrote a the poem 'La vie de Paris et de Versailles' which acts as a love poem to Mme Denis as much as a satire on Parisian society.

This edition of Voltaire's "Fragments sur l'Inde" is the first ever scholarly critical edition of a neglected historical text from his later years. The work, first published in 1773, sees Voltaire returning to the subject of Indian history, which had interested him since the first drafts of the "Essai sur les moeurs" in the 1740s. Inspired by the prospect of rehabilitating the memory of the executed General Lally, the "Fragments sur l'Inde" are in two parts: the first explores recent colonial enterprises in India and the disastrous Pondicherry campaign, which was to cost Lally his life; while the second is a more general meditation on Indian history, religion and customs. This volume also contains a text attributable to Voltaire, the "Mandement du muphti, suivi d'un Decret du divan".

Ce volume contient les articles que Voltaire redigea pour l'Encyclopedie, ainsi que ceux pour la quatrieme edition du Dictionnaire de l'Academie (1762).

Ce volume contient plusieurs textes importants de Voltaire composes en 1766/1767: la "Relation de la mort du chevalier La Barre", qui fait partie de la lutte voltairienne contre l'infame; les "Lettres a Son Altesse Monseigneur le prince de ***", dans lesquelles Voltaire fait l'apologie de certains ecrivains 'antichretiens', precurseurs de l'esprit philosophique; et "Les Honnetetes litteraires", un 'compendium de traits d'erudition, de droiture et de charite'.

The first of three volumes of Voltaire's writings of 1746-1748, containing a major tragedy ("Semiramis", edited by Robert Niklaus), a comedy ("La Femme qui a raison", edited by Russell Goulbourne and Mark Waddicor), as well as the "Discours de M. de Voltaire a sa reception a l'academie francaise", edited by Karlis Raveskis, and Voltaire's shorter verse of 1746-1748, edited by R. A. Nablow. It underscores how Voltaire deployed his consummate skill as a writer across the full breadth of genres and forms, establishing himself as a multifaceted public intellectual.

"Herode et Mariamne" est la troisieme tragedie de Voltaire. Une premiere version echoua de facon spectaculaire lors de sa premiere en 1724, les railleries du parterre ayant provoque un tel desordre dans la salle que les dernieres parties de la piece ne purent etre entendues. Cette representation resta sans suite. Voltaire supprima aussitot la premiere "Herode et Mariamne", dont seulement quelques fragments nous sont parvenus, et se mit a retravailler la tragedie. Un an plus tard, une nouvelle version connut un sort bien plus favorable. Jouee plus de vingt-cinq fois par la Comedie francaise, elle devint le grand succes de la saison de 1725. Malgre les critiques qu'elle attira de la part de certains, la reussite de la deuxieme "Herode et Mariamne" confirma la suprematie de Voltaire dans la vie theatrale et litteraire contemporaine. Apres 1726, les representations devinrent moins frequentes, mais dans les annees 1750 "Herode et Mariamne" connut plusieurs reprises tres appreciees, avec le renomme Lekain dans le role d'Herode. En 1762, Voltaire refondit encore la piece, en substituant l'essenien Soheme au preteur romain Varus. Cette derniere version, jouee en 1763, n'eut que deux representations, et fut assez froidement recue. Peu apres le succes de la "Herode et Mariamne" de 1725, Voltaire fut pris dans la serie d'evenements qui devaient l'amener a quitter la France pour aller habiter en Angleterre. Herode et Mariamne est la derniere grande oeuvre de cette premiere periode de celebrite qui, dans la vie de Voltaire, preceda la chute et l'exil de 1726.

This volume contains further full critical editions of some of Voltaire's many and varied writings of 1772. When Voltaire hears that Gustav III has assumed power in Sweden after a coup d'etat, he welcomes a new member to the club of enlightened rulers with the poem "Au roi de Suede, Gustave III". He returns to legal considerations, this time in their relation to religious toleration, in the "Reflexions philosophiques sur le proces de mademoiselle Camp", and the abuse of ecclesiastical privilege is attacked in "La Voix du cure sur le proces des serfs du Mont-Jura". The theme of religious intolerance surfaces again in his treatment of the Crusades in "Quelques petites hardiesses de Mr. Clair, a l'occasion d'un panegyrique de Saint Louis". He also publishes a treatise of sceptical deism, oddly entitled "Il faut prendre un parti ou le principe d'action". Voltaire continued to write poetry in a range of styles and genres: two verse satires, "Les Systemes" and "Les Cabales", a slighter work, "Jean qui pleure et qui rit", and towards the end of the year, one of his most important poems, the "Epitre a Horace", which shows him comparing notes with Horace as to how each of them will be treated by posterity: 'J'ai vecu plus que toi; mes vers dureront moins.'

The comedy "L'Envieux" is a thinly veiled allegory of the Cirey household and of Desfontaines's underhand manoeuvres against it. With the publication of Desfontaines's "Voltairomanie" in December 1738, Voltaire had to abandon the idea of having the play performed. Instead he set to work on a tragedy, "Zulime", the story of a princess in love with a slave who is already married. Even though the play was not the hoped-for success that would silence his detractors, Voltaire continued to revise it and to have it privately performed for many years. Meanwhile the printer Ledet was publishing an edition of Voltaire's works, surreptitiously including the banned "Lettres philosophiques". Voltaire's "Memoire" on the edition serves the double function of pointing out all that is new as well as the printer's many errors. The "Epitre a un ministre d'Etat" is another text that underwent significant revisions over the years. Originally addressed to Maurepas - perhaps in gratitude for his help in the Desfontaines affair - the epistle seems also to have been intended for Frederick. As Voltaire's relationship with both men deteriorated, so the poem was transformed from a tribute to patronage to a lament on the plight of the arts.

This volume brings together Voltaire's writings from 1750-1752, penned before his break with Frederick the Great marked the end of his stay in Berlin. Ranging from philosophical poetry to military strategy and satire, these texts and commentaries reveal the full extent of Voltaire's intellectual interests. They also highlight his place within an Enlightenment network of (often temporary) allies, such as Frederick the Great, and sworn enemies, notably La Beaumelle and Maupertuis.

In 1778, the year of his death, Voltaire annotated the edition of the 'Eloge et Pensees de Pascal' published by Condorcet two years earlier. The 'Pensees', a masterpiece abandoned by Pascal himself, provided both its editors of the eighteenth century with the starting-point for a series of reflections on the great questions of life, death, faith and morality. The present edition reproduces Pascal's text accompanied by Condorcet's notes and Voltaire's comments on those notes. The whole constitutes a kind of conversation of three voices that illustrates the many points of divergence (and more rarely of convergence) between the trio of thinkers.

The year 1749 was to prove a sombre one for Voltaire. His relationships with Mme Du Chatelet and Mme Denis were both in highly emotional and uncertain stages, culminating in Voltaire's utter devastation at the death of Mme Du Chatelet in September, and his ensuing need to lay the foundations of a new existence, initially in Paris and with his oldest friends. It is against this backdrop that one must envisage his literary activities in 1749. His central preoccupation was with his theatrical 'duel' with the elder Crebillon, and his response to Crebillon's challenge, the composition and staging of "Rome sauvee" and "Oreste" are described in detail in this volume, together with his "Dissertation" on the staging, ancient and modern, of the tragedy of Electra.

The year 1733 was the last before the momentous scandal over the "Lettres philosophiques" which led to a new life for Voltaire at Cirey. With hindsight it can be read as a prefatory period, full of restive episodes and apprehension. Even "Zaire", a great success at the Comedie-Francaise in 1732-1733, took on a controversial edge when Voltaire wished to give it to a highly unorthodox, polemical dedication. Similar doubts about Voltaire's respect for authority are inspired by "Le Temple du gout", which was published without official permission from the censors. Despite the unease from both his political and personal disputes, Voltaire's prodigious literary activity continues unabated, and includes philosophical works, satires, poetry and a "Vie de Moliere" which remains fascinating for its encounter of minds between two of France's most gifted comic authors.

At the beginning of 1736, Voltaire was at the height of his success, receiving praise from the public and fellow-poets alike. The breathtaking breadth of Voltaire's activity this year ranges from comedy, "L'Enfant Prodigue", and a major philosophical poem, "Le Mondain", to public and private verse, including one of his most arresting satires in "Le Crepinade", aimed at Jean-Baptiste Rousseau. Voltaire relished the diversity of his literary output, as he did the stimulation of his burgeoning scientific interests and lively correspondence. However, despite the popular acclaim, literary quarrels and lawsuits caused continuous tension, forcing Voltaire by the end of the year, to flee France and the 'persecution' his fame had brought him.

Ce volume comprend plusieurs dialogues et autres textes courts que Voltaire ecrivit en 1750 et 1751, lors de ses derniers mois en France avant son depart pour la cour de l'empereur Frederic et pendant sa premiere annee a Berlin. Dialogues, reflexions philosophiques, ecrits historiques, poesies: Voltaire ne cesse de deployer, dans tous les genres et toutes les formes, le regard critique aiguise et l'humour mordant qui sont sa marque de fabrique, et qui ont tant seduit Frederic.

'La methode des dictionnaires [...] est d'une utilite qu'on ne peut contester' ecrit Voltaire dans les "Questions sur l'Encyclopedie". Mais s'il se plie a l'ordre alphabetique dans ce compendium de sa pensee, il n'obeit pas aux autres regles du genre, melant prose et vers, contes et dialogues. Les Questions sur l'Encyclopedie ne se limitent pas a interpeller l'Encyclopedie, loin s'en faut: chacune de ses lectures semble inspirer a Voltaire un nouvel article sur des themes aussi varies que l'histoire, la science, la politique, la religion et le droit. Collaborateurs: Francois Bessire, Marie-Helene Cotoni, Nicholas Cronk, Olivier Ferret, Graham Gargett, Paul Gibbard, Russell Goulbourne, Laurence Mace, Christiane Mervaud, Michel Mervaud, Francois Moureau, Christophe Paillard, John Renwick, Maria Susana Seguin, Gerhardt Stenger, Marc Waddicor.

The texts in this volume date from 1769 with one unusual memoire from 1770. At the age of 75, Voltaire was still extremely active, developing and deepening familiar themes in his writings. After an epistolary dispute with the bishop of Annecy, we present five more works in his ongoing battle against the infame, concentrating on the threat to society produced by religious dogma and intolerance, and on abuses of ecclesiastical power. The volume ends with a contribution by the patriarch to Choiseul's plan to create a port on Lake Geneva that would be a haven for those suffering persecution in Geneva for demanding more civil rights. The memoire is accompanied by maps annotated by Voltaire.

L'Essai sur les moeurs est une oeuvre complexe, aux contours mouvants. Comme le demontre l'ensemble de textes disparates reunis dans ce volume, Voltaire revient sans cesse a l'Essai, et l'evolution de l'oeuvre n'est aucunement lineaire. Une serie de complements a notre texte de base (l'edition dite 'encadree' de 1775) est donc presentee ici: trois textes parus dans l'edition encadree en guise de supplements; un premier Plan de l'oeuvre, qui date de 1745; des articles de journaux et des lettres qui s'inscrivent dans le cadre du debat autour de l'edition non autorisee de l'Abrege, parue en 1753; 'Le Chapitre des arts', projet d'une section de l'Essai restee a l'etat d'esquisse, dont la toute premiere edition critique est presentee ici; et des textes parus apres 1760 dans lesquels Voltaire repond a des critiques de l'oeuvre. Enfin, une description de l'index (par Simon Bigex) qui accompagne l'edition encadree de 1775; et les notes et remarques sur l'Essai redigees par Wagniere apres la mort de Voltaire completent ce recueil de textes annexes. Dans l'ensemble ces textes ajoutent a la toile de fond du developpement de l'Essai et de sa presentation. Ce volume se termine par une edition des Fragments sur l'histoire generale (1773) ou Voltaire privilegie les aspects de l'Essai qui s'etaient averes les plus controverses. Voltaire, combatif, rassure son public qu'il n'avait en rien renie les elements majeurs de sa philosophie de l'histoire.

In mid-July 1765, Voltaire produced a twenty-page pamphlet entitled "Questions sur les miracles a M. le professeur Cla*** par un proposant", hoping at best for a reply from the said pastor, little thinking that it would lead to the publication eleven months later, in May 1766, of a 232-page volume entitled "Collection des lettres sur les miracles", composed of various short writings from the period. Voltaire's series of twenty imaginary letters might at first glance be seen as one chronological sequence, as superficial as the fickle and fleeting question they address. But the "Collection" is at the same time an attack on Christianity; an attack on John Turberville Needham, a new anti-philosophical adversary for Voltaire; and a political wrangle which questions the relationship between church authorities and civil government, challenged by the situation in Switzerland at the time.

1763-1764 shows a relentlessly satirical Voltaire whether he is goading the Le Franc de Pompignan brothers ("Writings on Jean-Jacques Le Franc de Pompignan", "Instruction pastorale de l'humble eveque d'Aletopolis", and "Letters from a quaker"), or mocking Omer de Fleury for his stance on inoculation ("Omer de Fleury etant entre, ont dit"). In "Voltaire and the tithes of Ferney", there is further evidence of his continued involvement with local and national politics on the subject of taxes, while simultaneously penning one of his early essays in biblical criticism, his "Catechisme de l'honnete homme".

Witty and caustic, Candide has ranked as one of the world's great satires since its first publication in 1759. In the story of the trials and travails of the youthful Candide, his mentor Dr. Pangloss, and a host of other characters, Voltaire mercilessly satirizes and exposes romance, science, philosophy, religion and government-the ideas and institutions men live by.