Thank you to all three of you for the welcome and helpful advice!!! I'm really happy to participate.
Can you clarify what format the letters are in? Are they handwritten facsimiles, non-copy-pastable scans of transcribed text, copy-pastable transcribed text, translations, some combination of the above, what? For me, the justification of the cost really depends on the answer.
They are copy-pastable transcribed text - there are also a few letters with English translations, it really depends on the historical figure. There are editor's notes for most letters (Voltaire's editor is English), explaining context or differences between manuscripts. They also note which libraries the original letters are kept in, if it is known. And they note where the letters were sent from, the age of the sender and recipient at the time the letter was sent, etc. The sample content (httpd://www.e-enlightenment.com/info/content/content_samples.html) is a decent enough example of what the database is like. Voltaire is definitely the figure with the most comprehensive correspondence, since there's an entire project/foundation (http://www.voltaire.ox.ac.uk/) dedicated to him.
I'm not sure if it's worth such an expensive subscription, but it does have a really intuitive search system. I can easily find every instance of Voltaire complaining about "Luc" to a wide range of correspondents, especially during the Seven Years War ;)
Is there a letter from Voltaire to Madame Denis from 1750 that contains the following passage?
Yes! On the 13th of October 1750, Voltaire sent the following letter (there is a French original, and English translation which I will quote, which is slightly different from your version):
"I have been handed over, my dear, with all due formalities, to the King of Prussia. The marriage is accomplished: will it be happy? I do not know in the least: yet I cannot prevent myself saying, Yes. After coquetting for so many years, marriage was the necessary end. My heart beat hard even at the altar."
What university are you attending, if I may ask?
The University of Oxford. I can download old books if they are available at the Bodleian Libraries, but I'm not sure if they'll be available - it's not very good for old books in general. That said, there is a lot of contemporary research.
Also, how's your French?
Unfortunately, even worse than anybody else here, I suspect. I've never been educated in French - I did a Spanish GCSE haha. I've been practicing German on Duolingo, and have been considering starting French as well, but that's about it really.
I'm great with computers and bad with people.
If only I was good with computers! I was mostly successful socialising as a child - though only with boys, and not with other girls - secondary school is where things really fell apart. As a teenager, I was alright with spending my time alone, but now as a university student I've noticed my social skills have become extremely stunted. I have literally no friends at Oxford and I rarely see or hear from secondary school friends haha.
Re: Can... Can I join?
They are copy-pastable transcribed text - there are also a few letters with English translations, it really depends on the historical figure. There are editor's notes for most letters (Voltaire's editor is English), explaining context or differences between manuscripts. They also note which libraries the original letters are kept in, if it is known. And they note where the letters were sent from, the age of the sender and recipient at the time the letter was sent, etc. The sample content (httpd://www.e-enlightenment.com/info/content/content_samples.html) is a decent enough example of what the database is like. Voltaire is definitely the figure with the most comprehensive correspondence, since there's an entire project/foundation (http://www.voltaire.ox.ac.uk/) dedicated to him.
I'm not sure if it's worth such an expensive subscription, but it does have a really intuitive search system. I can easily find every instance of Voltaire complaining about "Luc" to a wide range of correspondents, especially during the Seven Years War ;)
Yes! On the 13th of October 1750, Voltaire sent the following letter (there is a French original, and English translation which I will quote, which is slightly different from your version):
The University of Oxford. I can download old books if they are available at the Bodleian Libraries, but I'm not sure if they'll be available - it's not very good for old books in general. That said, there is a lot of contemporary research.
Unfortunately, even worse than anybody else here, I suspect. I've never been educated in French - I did a Spanish GCSE haha. I've been practicing German on Duolingo, and have been considering starting French as well, but that's about it really.
If only I was good with computers! I was mostly successful socialising as a child - though only with boys, and not with other girls - secondary school is where things really fell apart. As a teenager, I was alright with spending my time alone, but now as a university student I've noticed my social skills have become extremely stunted. I have literally no friends at Oxford and I rarely see or hear from secondary school friends haha.
I'll be popping in occasionally, then!