VOLTAIRE: (1694-1778) French Enlightenment Writer and Philosopher. Voltaire is a pseudonym, his ...

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. Rare L.S., `V´, unedited, two pages, 4to, Ferney, 12th September 1776, to Monsieur Audibert, of the Academy of Marseille, in French. An interesting content letter, Voltaire referring to the Compagnie du Mississipi, to the Paris brothers and to a dedicated work. Voltaire states in part `It is with pain, Monsieur, that I am obliged to forward to you the letter of this strange man, who surely was not arrested by mistake - supposing that he was really arrested…´ Voltaire further refers to a book he has recently read, a biography of the four Pâris brothers dedicated to his correspondent, saying `J´ai lu il n´y a pas longtemps une vie des quatre freres Paris, laquelle vous est dédiée.´ Voltaire comments his thoughts on the Compagnie du Mississipi, stating `..everything related to the madness of the Mississippi and the visa is faithfully reported. This great shipwreck and this institution are two unique adventures..´ Signed beneath the expression `The sick old man´. With address leaf, bearing a red wax seal. Small area of paper loss to the address leaf as a result of the letter opening. VG

The Mississippi Company was founded in 1684, later named Company of the West and Company of the Indies. It was a corporation holding a business monopoly in French colonies in north-America and West Indies. The rise and fall of the company is connected with Scottish economist John Law who was appointed by the Duke of Orleans, Regent of Louis XV, as Controller General of Finances of France. Voltaire compared John Law to a charlatan who would poisoned himself with his own drug. The Mississippi Company became one the earliest examples of an economic bubble. The Pâris brothers were in exile when the Mississippi Company and the Banque Royale crashed. They were asked by Louis XV to return to Paris in order to take in charge the Treasure debts revision, in the same way they did when Louis XIV passed away.