Charles-Emmanuel de Crussol, duc d’Uzès offers his thoughts on Voltaire’s works. The letter is incomplete.

Prince August expresses his joy at learning of Goethe’s improved health and thanks Goethe for the fragments of Rameaus Neffen that he sent. He suggests that Goethe translate Voltaire’s Le pauvre diable as there are no poems of this genre in Germany.

The copy runs to 27 lines and is bound with several other pieces including: 1) an engraved frontispiece taken from Essai sur la comedie moderne par Monsieur M.L.J.D.B. (Paris, 1752); 2) Lettre de M. Gresset l’un des quarante de l’Académie françoise a M. *** sur la comédie (1759); 3) Lettre a Mlle. CL****, actrice de la Comédie françoise (undated); 4) Conversation de Mr. l’Intendant des menus, avec Mr. l’Abbé *** (Undated); 5) Plaidoyer pour Genest Ramponeau par M. V*** (Geneva, 1760); 6) a manuscript in the hand of Jamet titled “Retranchements qui ont été faits”; 7) a manuscript in the hand of Guillaume Molé titled “Traité de la comédie, ses périls et son incompatibilité avec l’esprit et la vie chrestienne”.

Voltaire opens by noting that the Marquise has not acknowledged receipt of packages that he sent to her. He states that she needs to become acquainted with the war between rats and frogs, noting that Jean-Jacques Le Franc de Pompignan wanted to succeed Charles-Jean-François Hénault in the office of superintendent to the Queen whilst also being tutor to the children of France, or to put his brother in this position. He suggests that the brothers planned to arm the government against all those they accuse of being philosophers, to have him excluded from the academy, and to have the Bishop of Pui elected in his place so as to purify the desecrated space. Voltaire remarks that he laughed at this and thanks God that he laughs at everything, adding that he only said one word from which sprung twenty pamphlets. He notes that at the same time, La comédia des philosophes was performed, and asks if the Marquise was involved in the piece, noting that he will absolve her if she confesses her guilt. He then turns to the Marquise’s reading habits, telling her to read Le pauvre diable and Le russe à Paris. Voltaire notes that she has been reading Élie Catherine Fréron’s works, which he claims is proof both that she loves reading and that she does not hate rat and frog fights. He concludes by answering the Marquise’s question of what she could do for fun, telling him to come to his house where new pieces are performed, they laugh at the absurdities of Paris, and Théodore Tronchin cures people who have eaten too much.