In England, Newton's Principia was generally accepted for the explanation of gravitation and the motions of celestial bodies. In France, however, Descartes' theory of vortices was still favored over Newton's theory of gravitation. One of the people instrumental in disseminating Newton's theory of gravitation to Europe was the French writer and philosopher Voltaire.
After having twice spent some time in the Bastille for writing witty verses against the French authorities, Voltaire went to England. There he found a society that he considered more rational than the French one. He also acquainted himself with the physics of Newton.
In 1734 Voltaire published an account of his stay in England, his Lettres philosophiques ("philosophical letters"), in which he dedicated a large section to Newton's theory of gravitation. For many French readers this was their first exposure to Newton's physics, although it was 50 years after the publication of the Principia. Because the Lettres philosophiques contained criticism of the French government, Voltaire was forced to leave Paris again. He settled with Madame du Châtelet in her chateau at Cirey and started writing his Eléments de la philosophie de Newton ("elements of Newton's philosophy"), which was published in 1738. Madame du Châtelet started writing her own book on physics, Institutions de physique ("school of physics"). Unlike Voltaire, she was more influenced by Leibniz than by Newton, and her book made Leibniz's work, which was in German, known to the French.
Madame du Châtelet started translating Newton's Principia in 1747. She died in childbirth as she was finishing the translation in 1749. Her translation is still the only one of the Principia ever attempted in French.
