VOLTAIRE: (1694-1778) Fran

VOLTAIRE: (1694-1778) Fran

VOLTAIRE: (1694-1778) François-Marie Arouet. French Enlightenment Writer and Philosopher. Very rare A.L.S., `Votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur Voltaire´, two pages, 4to, Prangins Castle, Pays de Vaud, 28th January, n.y. (1754-55) to Monsieur de Bordes, Director of the Lyon Academy, in French. A very interesting letter, including an eight verses poem by Voltaire, stating `How kind are your verses monsieur, and how precious your friendship is to me! There is so much beauty in your work that I forgot I was the object of it, I only felt the charm of your poetry ..´ and continues stating in part `Lyon, you say likes the glory in the bosom of Plutus…Fortune uplifts the spirit when it is the result of a useful work, but shrinks it and soften it when it is only the result of chance.´ Voltaire further writes an eight verses poem `Il est vrai que Plutus est au rang de vos Dieux - Et ce n´est pas tant pis pour votre amiable ville - Il n´a point de plus bel azile - Ailleurs, il est aveugle; il a chez vous des yeux - Il n´était autrefois que Dieu de la richesse - Vous en faites le Dieu des arts.. ´ (`It is true that Plutus is at the rank of your Gods… he can´t have a better asylum, elsewhere he is blind…he was once the richness God, and you make him the God of arts..´). After his verses, Voltaire states `Here you have some verses which are not worth yours..´, and further again about Lyon `..you make me miss Lyon more than ever..´ With blank address leaf bearing a partial attractive red wax seal in fine condition. Folded. Overall minor age wear and creasing. G  £3000-4000