Racine begins by saying that he had received the verse attached to Heerkens’ letter, but that he has not yet received the beginning of the work which Heerkens had told him would be returned to him by one of his friends. He then goes on to discuss the “impertinent” article on Rousseau in Bayle’s supplement. He notes that Heerkens will find in Trévoux’s second brief of the month a letter from him in which he states that such slanders that hatred has dictated deserve only contempt. Racine then discusses a “violent fermentation” in the minds of the public, stating his hope for peace. He concedes, however, that given the King’s last response to the reprimands that this still seems very far away. He then comments on Damiens’ attempt to assassinate Louis XV of France the day before he wrote this letter on 5 January 1757. Racine notes that much is known of Damiens’ family and life story, but little of the plot itself, and quotes the King who remarked that if the blow is struck from abroad it is but a scratch, but if the blow comes from his people it is a deep wound. Racine concludes by discussing the seven octavo volumes that constitute Voltaire’s Histoire universelle, adding that Voltaire’s bold reflections and lively style encourage Racine to read all that he writes. He notes that Voltaire imposes on the ignorant, but will never impose on the savants who will not seek in him the truth of history.

This letter was written the day after Damien’s attack against Louis XV. Racine begins by noting that he has received the verses that the recipient attached to their last letter, but is still awaiting the beinning of the work from one of the recipient’s friends. He then responds the the article on Roussea that was recently published in Bayle’s supplement, describing it as ‘impertinent’. He adds that he has contributed a letter to Trévoux’s second memoir of the month which argues that the slanders against Roussea insighted by hatred deserve only contempt. He then discusses recent disturbances and the emergence of horrible posters, before stating that he hopes for a peace that he fears is very far away. Racine then turns to the attack of Damiens which took place the day before, noting the king’s words: ‘If the blow comes from abroad, it is only a scratch. If it comes from my people, it is a deep wound.’ Finally, Racine discusses the seventh volume of Voltaire’s l’Histoire universelle. He remarks on the boldness of Voltaire’s reflections and the liveliness of his style which combined make his writings readable, adding that he imposes on the great number of ignorant people but will never impose on the learned who will not seek the truth of history from him.

In the mémoire, Voltaire claims that his Histoire Universelle has been disfigured by Jean Néaulme in Berlin and Duchesne in Paris. He notes that it is not his fault if there have been unworthy popes, bad princes, and bad bishops, and neither is it his fault that people at court are ignorant. He asks the recipient to get rid of the existing copies of the work if possible, and asks to make public the purity of his conduct before the King, adding that he is threatened with an outburst from the Archibishop of Paris.

D’Adhémar begins by discussing the royal reception of Voltaire’s Histoire universelle, adding that the Queen was touched by the brevity of the eulogy because friendship is not always fair. He then questions why Voltaire names Monteil, as the Bishop Legate to the Pope in the first Crusades as this Bishop was instead an Adhemar ancestor. He goes on to discuss Adhemar genealogy.

The diary entry reads: ‘Monday 4 November 1816. “History of the War in Spain and Portugal from 1807 to 1814. By General Sarrazin, one of the commanders of the Legion of Honour; and formerly chief of the Staff in the Corps of the Price Royal of Sweded. Illustrated with a map of Spain and Portugal exhibiting the routes of the various armies. A victorious general has committed no fault in the eyes of the public; while he that is defeated, always becomes an object of censure, however wise his conduct may have been.” Voltaire’s General History Chapter 182. London Printed for Henry Colburn, Public Library, Conduit Street, Hanover Square, and sold by Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh, and John Cummin, Dublin. 1815. I Volume 8 vo. Page 375.’

Voltaire states that he is writing to Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand from Paris, before discussing literature. He questions why the Marquise wants to make him read English novels, such as Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones, when she will not read the Old Testament. He tells the Marquise that if she is to enjoy reading, she first needs a little passion, an object that is interesting, and a determined desire to educate herself that occupies her soul continuously, adding that if she were to know Italian she could be sure of a month of pleasure from Aristotle. Voltaire says that he will send her one or two chants of La pucelle d’Orleans that are unknown to others and in which he tries to imitate Aristotle (he claims to have limited success in this). He also advises that she may enjoy his Histoire universelle if she likes a picture of ‘this ugly world’ because in it he has painted men as they are. Voltaire then turns to various European empire-building projects, before stating that France’s only merit and superiority is that there are a small number of geniuses who make French spoken in Vienna, Stokholm, and Moscow. He returns to the Marquise’s reading, stating that he he found pleasure in reading Rabelais but that the Marquise was not learned enough to enjoy it. He expresses his desires for French translations of the philosophical works of Lord Bolingbroke and Dean Swift’s Tale of a Tub, before discussing various retellings of the story of Lucretia.