Voltaire calls Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand a big and kind child for not believing that Voltaire thought like she did. He reminds her that he is of a persecuted party which has nevertheless obtained the greatest advantage over his enemies: returning them to the ridiculous and odious. Voltaire asks if the Marquise has seen a letter sent from himself to King Stanislas of Poland thanking him for a book that he co-wrote with Brother Menou. He offers to send a copy if the Marquise does not have one, and promises to look for anything else that will amuse her. He stresses the importance of amusement and frivolity, noting that it is because we are frivolous that most people do not commit suicide. Voltaire concludes his letter by promising to send a copy of l’Empire de touttes les Russies, which he claims has a laughable preface that will console her for the boredom of the book.