This draft appears to have been intended as an insertion into an existing version of the text, as evidence by a symbol drawn at the start of the MS. The pages are unnumbered.

Circa 500 letters written by and to Madame du Deffand, arranged in chronological order. The main correspondents are the Duc and Duchesse de Choiseul; the Abbe Barthelemy; and and with three to Horace Walpole. The letters primarily discuss social events and activities such as dinners, news about friends, quotations from acquaintances’ letters, popular songs, current reading, and routine expressions of friendship. Du Deffand frequently mentions Walpole and Voltaire in her letters to others; other topics include Barthelemy’s desire for a harpsichord; gossip about the comte de Guerchy, ambassador to London; a description of a gift of a chamber pot; her irritation with the incessant talk of the mathematician Gabrielle Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, marquise Du Châtelet; and her opinions on the works Memoire de la Chalottais and La rivalte de l’Angleterre et de la France.

He begins with information about his childhood, including his godparents, the date of his innoculation against smallpox, and his education; and continues with biographical information about his college years; his first employment; his travels with Thomas Gray; and his Parliamentary activities. Much of the manuscript concerns the pieces he wrote, both published and unpublished, and those he published with the Strawberry Hill Press, as well as his reactions to the reviews he received. He also includes anecdotes concerning his attack by highwaymen in 1749; the family quarrel with his uncle Horace Walpole; and his disagreements with David Hume and Voltaire.

Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand begins by saying that she has a copy of Voltaire’s letter to Horace Walpole, which she describes as a masterpiece of taste, common sense, wit, eloquence, and politeness. She adds that she will no longer speak to him about Lableterie, as should would have like Voltaire to have not spoken about it. The Marquise then notes that she is at the height of her joy as she has just received as her birthday gift the first seven volumes of Voltaire’s latest edition, adding that she had the tables read to her.  She then asserts that she only sees and loves those who admire Voltaire, saying that they should forgive Walpole’s former errors because national pride is great amongst the English and they have difficulty in granting the French superiority in matters of taste. She concludes by saying that only Voltaire can get her out of boredom and quotes Philippe Quinault’s Issé.