Jeanne Julie Éléonore de Lespinasse opens by stating that she encloses a letter from Rousseau that had been recently published, adding that she approves of him having written the letter as it was necessary for his peace of mind and for disdaining the approval and blame of fools or jealous people. She notes that Turgot has surely read his Contract social, adding that it would be imprudent to send a copy but that she saw a copy for sale in the antechamber of M. le Dauphin the other day. She then goes on to discuss her concerns over the fragility of peace before going on to discuss Madame Du Deffand’s opinion of Antoine-Léonard Thomas. She adds that she encloses an epistle from Frederick II of Prussia. Throughout the letter, she quotes heavily from D’Alembert, Frederick II of Prussia, Madame Du Deffand, and Voltaire.

The title is written in Voltaire’s hand.

The title is written in Voltaire’s hand.

(cf. t. IV, fol. 14)

The works noted largely pertain to Voltaire’s Siècle de Louis XIV and Siècle de Louis XV.

Voltaire discusses his dismay at Marie-Louis Denis [née Mignot] [née Mignot] having compromised herself with a gambling den. He writes that he has sent letters to de Richelieu making his feelings about the gambling den clear and places the matter in the hands of God, adding that he did in Zulime as much as Louis XIV and Louis XV would allow him to do. He ends by asking the recipient to put him ‘at the feet of Madame la Duchesse du Maine’, writing that she is a ‘predestined soul’ who will love comedy until her last moment. He advises the recipient to administer her a beautiful play rather than an extreme unction if she falls ill and concludes that ‘one dies as one has lived.’

Voltaire begins by saying that it has been three or four years since he last cried and that he expected that he would not cry again until his death, however the secretary of the comte du Stadian found him in tears yesterday as he wept over Marie’s departure. He adds that the atrocity of what she had suffered lost its horror when she was with him, but after his departure he was no longer supported. He asks what her crime was as she had only travelled to lead her dying uncle, whom she thinks of as a father, to the Eaux de Plombières. He then turns to Frederick II of Prussia, noting that he had Voltaire arrested in order to get back the book of poetry he had given to him as a pledge of his kindness, and adding that if he had wanted it back he need only have asked. Voltaire recounts the services he has done Frederick II, and wonders how Frederick will undo the damage he has caused Marie and Voltaire. He then tells Marie of two letters for her: one from her sister and the other from the Abbot of Renel, adding that Madame de Fontaine’s is not comforting as it insists that Voltaire is Prussian.

Frederick proposes devoting the century (the 18th century) to Louis le Grand and asks what Voltaire thinks of it.

Voltaire writes that he has been exploring multiple genres of literature whilst in his ‘retreat’ though he has kept this from being public knowledge because ‘I realise every day that one must live and think for oneself, and that the chimera of reputation does not console the sorrows it drags after oneself.’ He adds that he will be very grateful if the marquis could extract from the letters he told Voltaire about anything pertaining to the history of the last century, noting that he does not know if Louis XIV deserved the name of ‘great’ but that his century did and it is of its art and letters that Voltaire wishes to write. He then turns to Newton’s philosophy saying that it has gained some ground in Paris among true philosophers but that the city is dominated by ‘Molinist and Jansenist nonsense’. However, he adds that all of this is overshadowed by the crisis in which Europe finds itself, drawing classical comparisons. He ends by saying that he has always desired a climate such as that that the marquis lives in and wishes to be with him under the beautiful sun with English philosophers and Italian voices.

Voltaire opens by stating that tickets are a conversation, asking where Formey got this jeremiad. He adds that he told Formey that he spoke of Louis XIV in an improper manner and that he is wrong, noting that, as he told the King formerly that he was wrong to make a brochure, and wrong to make another. Voltaire then turns to Formey’s enemies, asking who would think of hurting him. He remarks on Formey’s criticism of himself, the King, and deists, adding that none of these would have wished him harm. He concludes by advising Formey to laugh it all off and not to grieve or cry because Madame de Montespan was kind, ending the letter by entreating Formey to be calm.