Stewart opens by noting that he has read reports concerning the death of Mr Cockburn before discussing a recent catalogue of books. He remarks upon items that he would not purchase unless they were cheap (i.e. ‘3 volumes of the Herculaneum’) and asks for Caldwells opinion of Voltaire.

Authors featured in the collection include La Fontaine and Voltaire, but most of the works are unattributed.

Citations throughout the manuscript include: Voltaire, Rousseau, Boileau, Madame Deshoulières, Corneille, Racine, and La Fontaine. The author was familiar with Rhétorique Francoise, a L’Usage des Jeunes Desmoiselles by Gabriel Henri Gaillard. The handbook is made up of excerpts from the following:
p.1-150: Discours préliminaire sur la Rhétorique
p.161-213: Seconde Partie de la Rhétorique
p.222-238: Traité du Récit ou l’Art de Raconter
p.242-332: Troisième Partie de la Rhétorique

The unidentified author of this commonplace book extracted quotations on moral topics from some of the most popular, widely read French authors of the later 18th century, including Voltaire, Corneille, Rousseau, LaFontaine, Sédaine, and Béranger. While there is no indication of when the book was assembled, the handwriting appears consistent with a late 18th century origin, though the inclusion of a work by Béranger (1780-1857) and a work by Chemin-Dupontès published in 1798 suggests that it must have been at the very end of the period. The first section, the longest devoted to a single writer, is taken from Jean-Baptiste Chemin-Dupontès’ Morale des sages de tous les pays et de tous les siècles, ou collection épurée des moralistes anciens et modernes (Paris, 1798). This is followed by selections of poetry in various genres, songs, and a section of riddle-like word games.

Authors referenced in the catalogue include: Boileau, C. La Bruyere, Corneille, La Fontaine, Rousseau, Voltaire, Jean-François Marmontel, Fenelon, Aesop, Caesar, Horace, Plutarch, and Virgil. Over 200 titles are listed.

De Missy opens by saying that it has been a year to the day since Voltaire last wrote to him. He quotes La Fontaine on widowhood, stating that to be deprived of Voltaire’s correspondence was worse than being widowed. He reminds Voltaire that he repeatedly told him that he loved him, and asks Voltaire not to forget this. De Missy asks forgiveness if Voltaire is angry with him, and says that if Voltaire is busy he does not ask for long letters but only to know that Voltaire is well and that he loves him. He ends by asking Voltaire to have the courage to write to him, adding that he needs his advice, but noting that he does not know the fate of this letter because he does not know where Voltaire is.