The texts include a sequence of Latin odes given by Chopard at the Dijon Académie (probably in the 1740s) in his role as “paranymph” (an official assistant to doctoral candidates at their final defense) in which he extols the virtues of each of the named candidates. The collection also includes a set of satirical texts poking fun at the relatively recent foundation of the Dijon Académie and the quality of its teachers. Also included are copies of several Voltaire texts: the Epître de Mr de Voltaire à sa maison de campagne of 1755 (“O Maison d’Aristippe, o Jardins d’Epicure”); his poem on the Lisbon earthquake (1755), and “La Navigation,” dating from 1773. There is a strong anti-Jesuit bias with several long satires including a “Calendrier Jesuitique,” describing a series of emblematic prints (perhaps imagined). Among the numerous other texts are a satire on the British capture of Île-d’Aix in 1759 following the Battle of Quiberon Bay; verses entitled “Assassinat du Roy de Portugal” on the supposed Jesuit plot to kill the Portuguese king in 1759; a “Chanson sur la prise de Port Mahon sur les Anglois” celebrating the French victory in Minorca; “Stances a M. de Buffon sur son passage dans sa Patrie,” which are verses by M. Baillot of the Dijon Academy, read in 1773 at a public reception for the great naturalist on the occasion of his visit to his alma mater; “La Navigation, ” which is an early copy of La Harpe’s ode which won a prize from the Académie française in 1773; and “Éloge du vin de Rheims ou: la Champagne vangée.”

De Crousaz replies to the two queries that Achard sent to his wife, noting that they have not visited Geneva and that they have not seen Voltaire in the theatre. Through a military analogy, he remarks that according to his friends Voltaire is a better playwright than actor and was not good in the role of Lusignan in the play Zaïre. He goes on to note that the Duke of Randau’s politics mean that he and his Lord [Weymouth?] are to remain in Besançon for three weeks, adding that his Lord wants to go to Italy via Germany but that he [De Crousaz] is against the idea as he does not like Italy. He adds that his wife told him that Achard is angry at him for stopping in Besançon but replies that they were forced to stop by the Lord’s illness in Dijon. He discusses his relationship with his Lord, stating that he is not paid by the Lord (whose money is transferred through Mr Foley in Paris) and has little power, though he listens to Achard’s advice. De Crousaz then turns to health matters, noting that his gout has passed; and that he is sending Achard bottles of virtuous water for his health.