The letter is bound into a 1759 edition of Candide printed in England. In the letter, Voltaire writes that he, the ‘vieux malade’, has learned of all the good the recipient continues to do for his poor province. He both congratulates and thanks the recipient, adding that Wagnière will tell them how attached both he and Madame Denis are to them.

Provost Goodall recounts his journey through France, beginning with a description of Dijon. He remarks upon his arrival in Geneva and includes a description of a visit to Ferney during which time he viewed Voltaire’s rooms.

Harold Bruce has argued that this play was plagiarised by Saint-Hilaire in Un Proscrit chez Voltaire due to the striking similarities between the two pieces in terms of both the plot and the text itself. As this MS has too many variants, Bruce dismisses the idea that this is an early iteration of Saint-Hilaire’s later work.

Voltaire tells Jeanne Louise de Rochefort d’Ally not to have a hepatic colic, if she does not wish for Voltaire to travel to Burgundy in a frenzy to see one of the two people to whom he is equally attached. He confirms that he received a visit from Attorney General Séguier and d’Alembert on the same day, adding that if the two had met it would have been a much more pleasant scenario, though his meetings with each were charming. He goes on to note that the recipient has, like himself, been touched by the scissors of Abbé Terret, stating that they must both thank him for it. Voltaire speaks with regret of the disturbance Terret has brought to Ferney, noting that it had been progressing well, with foreigners populating the desert, houses being built, trade thriving and abundance beginning to vivify the region. He then says that one word has lost all of this and concludes by saying that the catastrophe poisons his final days, though he must not submit to this. He adds that he will send the recipient a little amusement in a few days time.

~With thanks to Rumi Kitahara for her assistance in identifying this manuscript.

The author of the document notes that they removed these papers from among the waste papers left at the Chateau de Ferney where tey were called in April 1780 by the father-in-law of the Marquis de Villette, who then became the owner of the property, taking control of the chateau and all of the furniture and effects which were assigned to an Englishman (Mr. Pigott) as tenant. The author adds that they will try to get hold of another little brochure that they saw in Pregay with the certificate and declaration attached. They note that this brochure contained some of Voltaire’s correspondence.

The verse was sent with a letter from Voltaire to Pierre Paul d’Ossun, marquis d’Ossun, written from Ferney and dated 16 July 1770 [D16527], and a price list for watches produced at a Ferney factory. One of the watches available was a repeating watch featuring a portrait of Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea y Jiménez de Urrea, 10th Count of Aranda. The verse mentions his triumph over the Jesuits, his suppression of superstition, and his masterful control of Spain.

The list was sent with a letter from Voltaire to Pierre Paul d’Ossun, marquis d’Ossun, written from Ferney and dated 16 July 1770 [D16527].

The traveller asks to be shown where Voltaire’s ashes were laid to rest. The gardener replies that it stirs his heart to approach the tomb. On the reverse of this dialogue is a list of womens’ names.