Voltaire opens by saying that he is distressed that his senses leave him one after the other despite the best efforts of his doctor, Tronchin. He adds that nature is stronger than him in his frail machine and that she undermines him from all sides. He goes on to discuss and inflammation which has made him deaf and almost blind, before turning to Alexandre’s family, noting that he left her until he was suffering less with his health but did not abandon the Calas family which was as unhappy as Alexandre’s. Voltaire then says that he is sending the cardinal a curious memoir, Histoire d’Elisabeth Canning, on the cruel affair, noting that the first part might amuse him and the second part move and outrage him. He adds that the council has seized the documents and will review the judgement of Toulouse, stating that he took charge of this trial because no-one was responsible for it and it seemed to him that men were too indifferent to the misfortunes of others. Voltaire next discusses Peter III, stating that if he had not been a drunkard, his adventure would be a great subject for a tragedy. He concludes by discussing the theatre and remarking that Mademoiselle Corneille will not play Olimpie badly, but that she will play Chimène better.

Pictet begins by saying that Voltaire will be surprised to receive a letter from him, but that the recent revolution has given rise to many reflections that he wished to discuss with him. He notes that anyone who knew Peter III of Russia, his behaviour, and his projects can only approve his being overthrown by his wife, Catherine the Great, whom he describes as ‘the most worthy and greatest Empress who has ever reigned in the Universe’. He assures Voltaire that it was not Catherine that sought the throne but that she was only following the general wish of the Nation, crediting the revolution to the difference in characters between Peter III and Catherine the Great.  He goes on to explore Peter’s faults in great depth before providing an account of the revolution and the movements of Peter III and Catherine the Great. Pictet concludes by discussing a proposal made by Catherine to D’Alembert.