The writer informs a cardinal that he has heard an Englishman named Mr Muller claimed in Rome he would bring back the Grand Inquisitor’s ears to Voltaire as a gift. The Pope, in jest, reportedly replied that the Inquisitor no longer had eyes or ears. Voltaire denies having made such a request and clarifies he bears no ill will, not even toward his critics. If the exchange did happen, he includes a light-hearted reply for the cardinal’s amusement, a witty poem addressing the Grand Inquisitor, expressing his own reflections on age and fame. He closes by expressing affection and respect, noting his age and frailty but reaffirming his sincere sentiments.