Grimm correcteur de Catherine II. Sur un «fonds Grimm» inconnu

Véronique Otto : When Grimm corrected Catherine II. An unknown Grimm archive. A German trail forgotten by 18th-century scholars, despite its link with the descendents of Mme d'Epinay, has led to the discovery in Austria of a modest archive of copies belonging to F. M. Grimm. A systematic comparison of these copies with the originals reveals that although these texts by Catherine II (including a letter to Voltaire) were not unknown, the complete or partial copies made or commissioned by Grimm are different enough to be interesting from several points of view. This article gives examples of alterations, ranging from the correction of spelling to inexplicable rewriting, while the thematic choice revealed in the extracts is above all related to political questions. Despite the uncertainties surrounding their purpose and precise date, these papers are useful for throwing new light on the familiarity existing between the Empress and her factotum, who felt he could make such sweeping corrections to some of the letters she sent him.