ABSTRACT
The seigneurial privileges of Ferney were confirmed to Monsieur de Voltaire through the influence of Choiseul who had his reasons for conciliating the friend of Frederick the Great and the correspondent of Catherine of Russia. After 1760, Voltaire resided principally in the Chateau de Ferney, which he had re-built. There is one incident worth repeating because of its light on Voltaire’s character. His busy and happy life at Ferney was only seriously disturbed once. Pamphlets, letters, speeches, sermons, pleadings, edicts, dialogues, biographies, anecdotes, poured from the unquenchable sources of Ferney ; few or none were signed except by that unmistakable style of witty malice. Perhaps there was more ironic malice than true charity in giving alms to ex-Jesuits who knocked at the doors of Ferney to ask for employment ; and it was surely cruel to send a message to know if they had come for the post of lackey.
