au château de Tournay 29 sept^b [1759]

S^r,

I thank you for y^r favours.
The author of the orphan chinese, is in the right when he sais he is a better poet than j. He is in the wrong when he supposes j do not like english performances. J admire y^r poetry and more y^r philosophy, and more y^r freedom. His antagonist is no less in the wrong when he looks upon me as on a venerable bard of seventy.

His error is greater in thinking j am an exile. Such an honour is not my lott. I have willfully sought a free and pleasant retreat, where j enjoy peace and plenty, free from all tyes, lord of my lands and of my self. J would settle at Borneo if liberty was but there.

Authors, you see, fall into some errors about their contemporaries, but how they are beguil'd when they speak of the ancients.

You will not be deceiv'd, if you think j am full of esteem for you.

Je suis de tout mon cœur

Monsieur

Votre très humble et très obéis^t serviteur

Voltaire
gentilhome ord. de la chambre
du roy