The Saint Petersburg Manuscripts Project is an exemplary illustration of the potential for fruitful collaboration among researchers from diverse geographical backgrounds, with the objective of re-evaluating philosophical history and thereby enriching the study of women philosophers. The project is on the cusp of its second phase, which will see the English translations of the texts made available online, accompanied by a significant event scheduled for the summer months. The project is an international collaboration between the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists at Paderborn University and the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. Its goal is to produce a digital, historical-critical edition of previously unpublished manuscripts by Émilie Du Châtelet, preserved in the Voltaire Collection of the National Library.

The St. Petersburg Manuscripts include:

– Two complete copies of Du Châtelet’s French translation of Bernard Mandeville’s Fable of the Bees
– Three chapters of a Grammaire raisonnée
– The chapter “De la liberté”, likely intended for her Institutions de physique
– The chapter “Des couleurs” from her Traité sur l’optique
– Extensive marginal notes on Voltaire’s Traité de métaphysique

These documents offer insights into Du Châtelet’s intellectual development and her contributions to philosophy, science, and linguistics. The digitization and physical description of the manuscripts are managed by the National Library of Russia. The Center in Paderborn is responsible for transcription, annotations, the critical apparatus, and scholarly commentary — with commentary also translated into Russian. The digital edition of the St. Petersburg Manuscripts is freely accessible online, offering scholars and the public unprecedented access to Du Châtelet’s manuscripts. This project represents the first institutionalized international collaboration focused on Du Châtelet’s unpublished works. At the same time, it is the first historical-critical edition project at the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists, as well as the first digital edition in the field of classical humanities at Paderborn University.

Interested? You can also watch our video about the manuscripts or our Du Chatelet playlist on our YouTube channel.

Little hint: Stay tuned for our upcoming summer school…