The book opens with a preface entitled “avertissement”, that can be translated as follows: “this collection volume contains the elite of the best anecdotical songs from the ministry of the Cardinal de Richelieu until now: attention was paid to the accuracy of the names; to the order and faithfulness of periods, and of interesting facts; to the correctness of the marginalia […].” The collection covers mostly the reign of Louis XIV of France and the beginning of the reign of Louis XV of France. The songs seem to mock a wide range of subjects, but focus predominantly on the aristocracy, the court, the government, and the clergy, and refer to many current scandals, military events, and political affairs. Many songs are quite bawdy, especially the songs relating to ladies of the court – the three mistresses of Louis XIV (Louise de La Vallière, Madame de Montespan, and Madame de Maintenon) are well represented there. At pp. 510-515 there is also a song entitled “Autres Mirlitons” on the subject of homosexuality, with marginal notes explaining that it is “about the young lords of the court”. Some other noteworthy songs include:
– songs about John Law (1671-1729), the Scottish economist who was a minister under Louis XV; the annotator notes how he was apparently hanged in effigy in London after he was condemned for murder.
– a song at pp. 525-531 that has a reference to Mississipi, and one at pp. 381-388 to the Goa Inquisition (the Portuguese Inquisition in India).
– a song at pp. 553-554 about the philosopher Voltaire relating to his altercation with the Chevalier de Rohan in 1726.
– songs about Jansenism, and (at pp. 557-559, 565-567, 579-582) on the recent Cadière affair (1730-31), the scandalous case of a Jesuit confessor who was accused of sexually abusing a young female penitent, whom he in retaliation accused of witchcraft.

The ode describes Marie-Thérèse d’Autriche, Queen of Bohemia and Hungary. In the manuscript, it is given the alternative title of: ‘Ode sur les affaires du temps faitte le 30 Juin de lannée 1742’ / Ode on the affairs of the time written on 30 June 1742. In the accompanying letter, written on the back of the ode, Voltaire describes the poem as a ‘citizen’s ode’, adding that is could appear following a tragedy. Voltaire adds that he is waiting for a response from the recipient, noting that the tragedy has also been printed in Holland, but that it would be more successful in England than elsewhere if it were printed with a preface in the recipient’s style. He ends by asking de Missy to write to him at Fauxbourg St Honoré, and notes that this package will not reach de Missy as soon as he would like as the post has already left and the package will have to wait four more days.