Beman thanks Caldwell for going to the trouble of sourcing books from him. He discusses various editions that he has printed, including:

• A volume of Voltaire’s works
• Morany’s Dictionary
• Boyle’s Dictionary
• Works by Vallance
• Buffon’s Historia Naturello das Orseaux
• Works by Abbe Winckelman

Beman opens by saying that he is enclosing a bill for £50 16s for books that he has already sent to Caldwell. He adds that he has recently published two new editions ‘under his own Eye’. The first if an edition of Voltaire’s complete works. the second is the Dictionnaire Encyclopédique

The list begins with ‘Epître a Mr le dauphin fils unique de Louis XIV pour un officier invalide, tome 13’ (1706), and concludes with ‘Agathocle, trag’ in 1778. The MS concludes with a brief discussion of Voltaire’s proposals for a new edition of the dictionary.

The letter concerns hymns, breviaries, Muret, indexes to the Dictionary, dates, and authors. Crawford mentions a number of people including Miller, Julian, Coltaire, Beaumonchais, Miss Winkworth, R. Massia, and Gaskell.

The author notes that the Library of San Giorgio contains copy of a rare book on military architecture by [?] Franceri de Marché, published 1559. They make notes on the location and conditions of paintings, manuscripts and sculpture in Venice, mentioning efforts being made for preservation. They then comment on the Venetian government’s apparent intention to abolish every order of monks in the state and the new roads around Turin. The author describes a visit to Voltaire in Geneva, writing that Voltaire is ‘now employed about a Dictionnaire Encyclopedia. It has got to the letter B’. They conclude with a discussion of their return journey along Loire, noting the industries they encounter and describing a visit to Fontainbleau.

Voltaire writes that he and Madame de Fontaine have been discussing what becomes of the soul after death, but hopes to remain in ignorance for some time yet. He asks d’Alembert to send him the articles from the encyclopedia, if he has them, a little in advance because ‘a patient is not always the master of his moments’. Voltaire notes that he is very unhappy with the ‘story article’ because he wanted to show the different literary styles appropriate for a variety of different writings. He states, however, that he was in a hurry, ill, and overwhelmed by ‘this accursed general story that you know.’ Voltaire goes on to say that he does not know the dictionary [of which, presumably, d’Alembert had spoke] because he did not subscribe to it. Instead, he says that he will buy it when it is finished but quickly adds that he will probably be dead by the time it is done and so asks d’Alembert to suggest that Briasson sends him the printed volumes and Voltaire will give him a bill of exchange on his notary. Voltaire then discusses the articles on theology and metaphysics, saying that they pain his heart and that it is very cruel to print the opposite of what one thinks. He notes that he is angry that people still write dissertations and give particular opinions on recognised truths as he would prefer to know the definition and origin of words with examples. Voltaire concludes by apologising, claiming to be ‘a talker who says what he should have done and didn’t do anything worthwhile’, and ends by saying that if d’Alembert was featured in a dictionary he would be defined as ‘the most amiable of men.’