Voltaire thanks d’Açarq for the first part of his grammar and apologises that it cost d’Açarq letter postage to know that Voltaire esteems him very much. Voltaire notes that there is much to be learned from d’Açarq’s grammar, and wishes that it were as easy to serve d’Açarq as it was to read his work. He ends the letter by sending his applause.

Différentes notes et lettres sur Beaumarchais, 1773-1789 ;-Printed tract intitled, ” Observations grammaticales et morales sur Figaro, suivies de quelques réflexions sur les trente volumes des OEuvres de Voltaire livrés au public par M. De Beaumarchais,” 12mo, 1785 ;-“Lettres du Sr. De Beaurnarchais au Comte de D’Eon, et les pièces rélatives aux démêlés entre la dite Demoiselle Vergennes et à Madlle. D’Eon, avec les réponses imprimés de Madlle. et le Sr. De Beaumarchais,” 1778 ; with other papers on the same subject.

In this letter, Voltaire responds to a missive from the Marquise Du Deffand and begins by mentioning one of her friends, the captain of dragoons Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas de Lisle (1735-1783) whom Voltaire regrets is convinced that he is the author of an Épître à Ninon. Voltaire praises Russian men and women of letters and claims that French is spoken more purely at the court of Catherine the Great than at Versailles because French ladies do not pride themselves on knowing the grammar. He then turns to Catherine the Great, who he notes does not write verse, but knows her stuff very well, and makes very good jokes about Emilian Pugachev.