La correspondance d'Helvétius (avec une lettre inédite d'Helvétius à Schouvalov)

Résumé En

D. W. Smith : Helvetius's correspondence. The need has long been felt for a new edition of the complete works of Claude Adrien Helvétius (1715-1771). No edition of his works has appeared since 1818 and the so-called " standard " edition (Paris, 1795, 14 vols) is demonstrably corrupt. Helvétius's correspondence, in particular, needs to be collected and critically edited, since editions of his works contain at most a dozen letters by Helvétius, though at least two hundred have survived in manuscript or in various scattered publications. The letters of Madame Helvétius are more numerous and interesting than is generally realized and deserve to be edited with those of her husband. To remedy this situation a team of six researchers at the University of Toronto is preparing a new critical edition in French of Helvétius's works, starting with the correspondence which should be ready for publication in 1974. This article describes the interest and importance of these letters, includes an edited letter of Helvétius which has never before been published in the original, and concludes with an inventory of all letters written or received by Helvétius or his wife. Holders of further Helvétius letters not listed here are invited to contact the general editor, D. W. Smith.