The documents are part of a broader collection of letters.

The first minutes were written on the same day of the burial, 2 June 2 1778. A second set of minutes were added on 8 June 1778 by Dom Potherat and Dom Nicolas Meunier, explaining the conduct to be followed, according to Voltaire’s last wishes, for the burial in Ferney.

Voltaire begs forgiveness for having written to ‘Madame Dixneufans’ on ceremony. He adds that he could be much more cross with Rochefort d’Ally for taking so long to reply but he has had a violent fever caused by two fatal illnesses from which he has escaped, noting his dismay at being told that l’abbé de Beauregard, preacher of Versailles, would gladly have refused him burial. Voltaire continues by rallying against this claim, ensuring Rochefort d’Ally that he observed Lent more rigorously than most monks in Europe, that he is a more diaphanous and leaner than any disciples of Loyola, and that he resembles Lazarus coming out of his niche.