The verse is against Voltaire and discusses his age, anger, and fears. The author, said to be Dorat, concludes that they pity Voltaire. The verse was quoted in a letter from Marie Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand [née de Vichy] to Horace Walpole dated 15 December 1768.

Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand begins the letter by flattering Voltaire, noting that she asked several people who the first man of this century was and they all replied Voltaire (an answer she claims to have expected). She adds that he writes all genres charmingly and questions why he abandoned fables, offering him a fable on which he could write. The fable concerns a lion in Chantilly. Dogs that were usually thrown into the river were thrown instead to him. He strangled them all, except one whom he loved and started a family with. One day, the dog joined the lion’s tormentors, barking at him and biting his ears, so the lion strangled her. He quickly repented, carried her to their bed, and was consumed with the greatest sadness, but hopes of this sadness changing his character were dashed; he strangled without mercy any dog thrown to him. The Marquise notes that there are many morals to be drawn from this tale about ingratitude and the need to love. She then changes the subject, remarking that if she were given a choice between regaining her sight of having a thousandth part of his talents she would not know which to choose, before giving news of Madame de Pompadour’s health. The Marquise ends the letter by talking of her anger at the printing without consent of a letter send from Voltaire to herself. She promises Voltaire that anything he writes to her will not be taken from her hands, and that his letters will be put in order so that copies are never taken. She goes as far as to say that she will learn the letters by heart so that she does not have to read them.

Voltaire opens by addressing the news that Madame de St Julien is coming to Geneva, stating that he is astonished by and happy about it. He then asks if d’Argental has read two volumes of a work by a ‘misérable’ who argues that Shakespeare is the only good model of tragedy, noting that the author sacrifices the French to his idol as pigs were once sacrificed to Ceres. He expresses particular woe at the author omitting to mention Corneille and Racine. Voltaire bemoans that this author had gotten the royal family to subscribe to his work, asking if d’Argental had read his abominable grimoire of which there were still five volumes outstanding, before stating that they should not suffer this affront. Voltaire then states that what makes matters worse is that he was the first to speak of Shakespeare and show the French some pearls within his collective works (dubbed by Voltaire as manure), adding that he never thought his introduction of the French to Shakespeare would lead to the trampling of the crowns of Racine and Corneille He asks d’Argental to be as angry as he is. In the conclusion of the letter, he discusses plays to be performed in Geneva.

Voltaire opens by addressing the news that Madame de St Julien is coming to Geneva, stating that he is astonished by and happy about it. He then asks if d’Argental has read two volumes of a work by a ‘misérable’ who argues that Shakespeare is the only good model of tragedy, noting that the author sacrifices the French to his idol as pigs were once sacrificed to Ceres. He expresses particular woe at the author omitting to mention Corneille and Racine. Voltaire bemoans that this author had gotten the royal family to subscribe to his work, asking if d’Argental had read his abominable grimoire of which there were still five volumes outstanding, before stating that they should not suffer this affront. Voltaire then states that what makes matters worse is that he was the first to speak of Shakespeare and show the French some pearls within his collective works (dubbed by Voltaire as manure), adding that he never thought his introduction of the French to Shakespeare would lead to the trampling of the crowns of Racine and Corneille He asks d’Argental to be as angry as he is. In the conclusion of the letter, he discusses plays to be performed in Geneva.

Voltaire opens by addressing the news that Madame de St Julien is coming to Geneva, stating that he is astonished by and happy about it. He then asks if d’Argental has read two volumes of a work by a ‘misérable’ who argues that Shakespeare is the only good model of tragedy, noting that the author sacrifices the French to his idol as pigs were once sacrificed to Ceres. He expresses particular woe at the author omitting to mention Corneille and Racine. Voltaire bemoans that this author had gotten the royal family to subscribe to his work, asking if d’Argental had read his abominable grimoire of which there were still five volumes outstanding, before stating that they should not suffer this affront. Voltaire then states that what makes matters worse is that he was the first to speak of Shakespeare and show the French some pearls within his collective works (dubbed by Voltaire as manure), adding that he never thought his introduction of the French to Shakespeare would lead to the trampling of the crowns of Racine and Corneille He asks d’Argental to be as angry as he is. In the conclusion of the letter, he discusses plays to be performed in Geneva.

Voltaire opens by addressing the news that Madame de St Julien is coming to Geneva, stating that he is astonished by and happy about it. He then asks if d’Argental has read two volumes of a work by a ‘misérable’ who argues that Shakespeare is the only good model of tragedy, noting that the author sacrifices the French to his idol as pigs were once sacrificed to Ceres. He expresses particular woe at the author omitting to mention Corneille and Racine. Voltaire bemoans that this author had gotten the royal family to subscribe to his work, asking if d’Argental had read his abominable grimoire of which there were still five volumes outstanding, before stating that they should not suffer this affront. Voltaire then states that what makes matters worse is that he was the first to speak of Shakespeare and show the French some pearls within his collective works (dubbed by Voltaire as manure), adding that he never thought his introduction of the French to Shakespeare would lead to the trampling of the crowns of Racine and Corneille He asks d’Argental to be as angry as he is. In the conclusion of the letter, he discusses plays to be performed in Geneva.

Frederick writes that he is angry that the story of the Tsar and his bad verses took so long to arrive. He notes that the good parts of his verse are merely imitations of Voltaire and confesses that the Parallèle de ma vie et de la cour cost him little, adding that Voltaire gives it more praise than it deserves. Frederick claims that it is more akin to a report of his occupations than a poetic piece, decorated with images that suit it and that he thought about not sending it to Voltaire because of its neglected style. He adds that he eagerly awaits the verses that Émilie du Châtelet is composing before turning to the subjects of gratitude that Voltaire has given him and the many things he has to say about Le Mondain, l’Ode à Émilie, and Mérope, composing his thoughts in 41 lines of verse. He then writes that Voltaire seems satisfied with the ‘mémoires’ of Tsar Peter I that Frederick had sent to him, and Frederick notes that he is happy to have been of use to Voltaire, stating that he will provide Voltaire with information about the Tsarina and the like of the ‘czarowitz’ and warning Voltaire that he will not be happy with how the prince ended his days at the hands of his ferocious and cruel father. Frederick writes that history is partly the archive of the wickedness of men, but that this could be an antidote as most wish to avoid the reputation garnered by such evil individuals.