Note 249 — III. 1724-1744. The Entresol—Political struggles—Relations with Cardinal Fleury—D'Argenson and Voltaire.
Reading edition
March 24, 1739. In a letter to d'Argenson of January 26, 1740, Voltaire speaks of those views upon history of which he afterwards became the apostle. (Cf. Morley, "Voltaire," p. 298). "Another idea of mine. We have only had the history of kings, and that of the nation has not been written. It would seem that for fourteen hundred years we have had nothing in Gaul but kings, ministers, and generals; our manners, laws, customs, ideas, are they then nothing?"
This letter closes with the post-script: "Pardon; there was a great figure in optics on the other leaf; I have torn it off."