March 20 [31 March n. s.] 1728

I having yesterday seen in the Daily post an advertisement which runs thus: By the author's priviledge the Henriade, by mr de Voltaire, with a criticism upon the whole work.
N.B. This edition is not castrated as that in quarto. Printed for Prevost. This is to give notice that I never gave any privilege to Prevost, but I was betrayed in to such a kindness for one Cordert, as to grant him leave of printing my book for his own benefit, provided he should sell none before mine has been deliver'd. It is a thing unheard of, that a bookseller dares to sell my own work in another manner than I have printed it, and call my own edition, castrated: the truth of the matter is, that he has printed six bad and insignificant low lines, which were not mine, printed in a former edition of La Ligue, and in the room of which there are six others a great deal bolder and stronger in the Henriade. As to the criticism I have not yet seen it.

I have just printed another edition of my book, printed for James Woodman, with another criticism, which I will answer in time, at least I must certify, that this Woodman's edition is entirely correct, conformable to my original, and without spurious and bad verses, wrong spellings, and omissions, which do more harm to an author than all the criticism in the world.

Voltaire