In the poem, the commanding eagle hovers in long circuits high in the sky. He sees himself as the king of nature, claiming that victory has placed its laurels in his claws. The eagle lands on an oak tree at the centre of the forest and begins talking about his glory and royalty. The eagle’s neighbour, however, a nightingale, sings in a sheltered, leafy elm tree.

Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand begins by saying that she does not understand why Voltaire did not reply to her last letter, adding that she has been waiting for a response for three weeks. She notes that their renewed correspondence has been a remedy to her boredom, and bemoans that he should abandon here at the moment she most needs his help. The Marquise goes on to say that Mr Craufurt returned to England a few days ago and her only occupation has been to reread and learn by heart verses from Voltaire’s Religion naturelle. She asks him to guess which verses she has learnt, adding that there are 34 from the first chant, 16 from the third chant, and 8 from the final chant. She concludes by reflecting on the absurdity of some peoples’ claims that she is infatuated with Voltaire, adding that Voltaire has been deified but that such glory would not be enough to make him happy if his talents diminished.