The manuscript is a copy of a letter discussing the mysteries of mortality, death, soul and transience, dismissing the atheistic worldview featured in Baron d’Holbach’s System of Nature, and featuring a famous phrase by Voltaire, reading ‘Si Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait l’inventer.’

Voltaire discusses his approaching death, atheists, and Baruch Spinoza. A loan slip for the letter in included on f.3.

In 1863, Dupanloup opposed the condidacy of Emile Littré due to his atheism and prevented his election to l’Académie française. In 1871, Littré was again a candidate and this time was elected, angering Dupanloup who then resigned. He was encouraged to reconsider his resignation by [François] Guizot and composed this letter in 1872 to explain his reasons for resigning. He notes that he still feels that the election of Littré was a ‘very regretable error’ on the part of l’Académie française before discussing their election of atheists in the past. Dupanloup first turns to Voltaire, whom he calls a ‘great wrecker’, adding that he thought it clever to wage war on Christianity and hide in l’Académie française behing auxiliaries more advanced than himself, and that Voltaire tried to get his fellow atheists [Denis] Diderot, [Claude Adrien] Helvétius, and [Paul-Henri Thiry] Baron D’Holbach elected as well but failed to succeed despite putting pressure on [Jean le Rond] D’Alembert. He notes that Voltaire had counted on the protection of Madame de Pompadour but that she could not help. He concludes that l’Académie française did not allow itself to be undermined by atheism in the eighteenth century and those that claimed to be Professors of Atheism, such as [Pierre Jean Georges] Cabanis and [François-Joseph-Victor] Broussais were never able to break through, and that this was one more reason for him to believe that he had to resign.

Voltaire writes that he only received the Baron’s two letters yesterday, adding that it is true that Rousseau and two or three others in Paris have been slandering him. Voltaire notes that he thanks them as absurd, self-destructing lies only harm their authors. He then discusses the rumours, writing that Rousseau had claimed that he had come to Leiden to profess atheism and that he had had a very heated argument with Sgravesende. Voltaire notes that his friend and master Mr. Sgravesende was so indignant about this that he publicly worte: ‘je déclare qu’un mensonge si impudent n’a point été imaginé par un Hollandois. C’est ce que je soutiens pour l’honneur de notre nation.’ Voltaire then turns to his works, noting that a very fine edition has been begun, and that they will contain nothing that is unworthy of an honest man. He ends the letter by stating that he is leaving for England but will return to Leiden in June.

The letter claims that the outbreak of smallpox at Long Ditton was due to the carelessness of common people. It also makes long comments on the writings of Clarendon and Voltaire, states that atheist writings are contemptible, and considers the actions of the Prussian king against British merchants.

Voltaire begins by stating that the recipients must have received his refutation of the ‘calumnies’ which Rousseau had provided to be inserted in their journal. He states that he expects justice in the form of the publication of his refutation, but asks that the article concerning Mr. Saurin is cut as he was already pitied enough. Voltaire concludes by saying that he is to be pitied for having to sustain such a humiliating combat, but that to leave the calumnies unanswered would be even more humiliating. He scoffs that he has been accused of irreligion and satire by Rousseau and quips that it is like being accused of theft by Cartouche [the highwayman Louis Dominique Bourguignon].