The copy concerns Chapter 38 from the beginning to ‘vieillesse’ on l.156. This Chapter discusses the Jesuits driven out of Portugal and France and the assassination of the King of Portugal.

The MS also includes a section from the end of Chapter 37 beginning with ‘Trianon’ on l.50.

The collection includes: Discourse on the conduct of the Courts of Vienna and Saxony and their pernicious designs against the King of Prussia. Berlin, 1756 (pp. 1-24). Papers referring to the government of Spain during Ferdinand VI’s illness and after his death, 1759 (pp. 25-32). Response of the King to the letter that the Pope wrote to him, asking him for his mediation for the composition of things in Parma. San Idelphonso on August 9, 1768 (pp. 33-34). Consultation of the Extraordinary Council, on the Brief of the Pope about the estrangement of the Jesuits. Madrid and April 30, 1767 (pp. 35-47). Consultation on the populations of Sierra Morena, 1770 (pp. 48-179). Letter from Voltaire to his correspondent in Madrid (pp. 180-183). The present state of the English colonies and thoughts of them. San Lorenzo on October 16, 1772 (pp. 184-245). Royal orders of S.M., on the license for the marriage of the Lord Infante Don Luis and gifts made by the Infante to the bride, 1776 (pp. 247-252). Letter written to a poet by a friend of his living in Madrid praising Carlos III (pp. 253-260). News from Portugal, with quatrains dedicated to the Marquis of Pombal, 1777 (pp. 261-307)
Sanchez Alonso T. II, p. 443, no. 8354.

Voltaire discusses the claims of the Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, and Dutch to lands in the New World, explaining that such lands are shared very unequally amongst the various countries.

Included in the collection is an autograph letter signed from Jean-Rodolphe Vautravers to Benjamin Franklin, dated 21 September 1777. The letter begins by discussing electrical experiments exhibited at Zurich by the Chevalier de Volta of Como before moving on to discuss the contemptuous treatment of the republics of Switzerland by the present rulers of Great Britain. Vautravers notes that he encloses the fruit of his neglect and adds to it a copy of verses sent by Voltaire to [Charles Gravier,] Comte de Vergennes. The conclusion of the letter turns to diplomacy, with Vautravers noting that His Excellency is to proceed to Venice to secure that republic in the Bourbonian interest, having already secured Portugal. There is a brief discussion of the attitude of Russia toward Hanover, and Vautravers provides proofs of the Emperor’s aversion to republics. The letter concludes by noting that Franklin’s adversaries are now crowing over Burgoyne’s success in Canada.

C. Stone opens with some personal remarks, then discusses the things he has been reading, namely Voltaire and Rousseau. He then turns to Harcourt’s lack of help for Lee, the Portugal scheme, Ireland, and news of old friends. The letter concludes with a discussion of Le Marchant’s book.

Voltaire writes that he has just received a letter from m. Turkheim informing him that Schoepfling has satisfied his debt and so has nothing else to do but to beg Dupont to ‘put on the sheath’ and offer him his gratitude. He then notes that he and Marie-Louis Denis [née Mignot] [née Mignot] will be spending the winter at Monrion and assures Dupont that he would be tempted to visit Colmar if there were not Jesuits. Voltaire then asks Dupont to tell Madame de Klinglin that she played a dreadful trick on him as she was at Saint-Claude just six miles from Voltaire in Délices. He adds that if she had told him he would have gone to visit her but he will now, instead, be forced to make a trip to Colmar. He concludes by syaing that new operas are being prepared in Italy, new comedies are going to be given in Paris, and a lottery of thirty million is also to be held.