Œuvres complètes de Voltaire (Complete Works of Voltaire) 17

1737 was a year in which Voltaire was in great danger from his political enemies and in place of literary work, threw himself into Newtonian metaphysics, focussing on an "Essai sur la nature du feu, et sur sa propagation" for the prestigious Academie des sciences annual essay prize. Clarifying his 'systeme de morale' on human happiness and liberty, Voltaire wrote seven "Discours en vers sur l'homme" and was also inspired to write "Le Songe de Platon", a conte philosophique contesting Plato's social ideas. He also began the tragedy most acclaimed during his lifetime, the classically-inspired "Merope".