Voltaire begins by saying that he begs the dear correspondent to post all of the little pocket pistols. He adds that it seems that we do not always pull our powder from the sparrows and that we sometimes frighten the vultures.

Voltaire thanks Panckoucke for a translation of his poem titled ‘Lucretia’, and for a delivery of books which included a five-volume set of works by Buffon. Voltaire remarks upon the difficulties of transporting items to Geneva from Lyon, and reminisces about a previous visit Panckoucke paid to Ferney.

The commissaries will send a copy of the French memorial on St. Lucia by ordinary post. The King is at Bellevue and will spend Lent at Versailles. The memorial about the two French ships in Nova Scotia will be handed to the French as soon as possible. Ammon has arrived in Paris and is lodging at Voltaire’s house, but only informed Le Chambrier after two days. He refers to naval intelligence from Rochefort and the failure of the clergy to make a return on their revenues.

Voltaire writes that he received Rolt’s letter yesterday, despite it being dated December, detailing two mistakes which meant that the book that accompanied the letter had not reached Voltaire for some time. He adds that he had read Rolt’s ‘curious history’ with great pleasure, noting that he is a good patriot and a faithful historian. He ends by saying that he hopes Rolt has received due praise in England for the work.

Voltaire writes that he thought his ‘little works’ would amuse the recipient in their solitude, so he sent them to him on 5 April to Bordeaux to be passed from there to the recipient. Voltaire notes that he has since learned that there have been many cases of ‘infidelity’ in these sorts of shipments and that such parcels are seized at the barge so he adds that he has written to M. Ravenau to ask about this and will report back to the recipient of the letter when he returns to Paris. Voltaire concludes by saying that if he can do the recipient any service through his friendship with de Maurepas, the recipient should only ask him and Voltaire will ensure that he is not forgotten.

De Missy writes to Voltaire about his edition of Voltaire’s tragedy Mahomet. De Missy divides the letter into a series of numbered points. Point One concerns the beginning of Act Three which is in need of revision. De Missy says that he could have corrected the Act himself but did not want to taint Voltaire’s writing. Point Two concerns a few passages that De Missy notes he will not punctuate in line with Voltaire’s intentions. He notes that this is particularly relevant to the first verses of p.55 in At IV. Point Three concerns various corrections in Voltaire’s copy that are in the London edition, and some passages in this edition that have been more heavily corrected than Voltaire’s version. He draws attention to p.7, p.33, p.42, p.45, p.48, and p.50. He asks Voltaire how he would like these sections to read, and whether or not he should follow the example of the London edition. Point Four concerns p.28 where the printer had written ‘They sit’ and Voltaire had not corrected it. De Missy asks if Voltaire’s lack of correction was intentional or not. Point Five concerns a verse on p.13, about which De Missy questions Voltaire’s phrasing. There then follow two paragraphs that are left incomplete, with large gaps in the copy suggesting that De Missy intended to expand on them and complete them. The paragraphs concern the topics of gender, virtues, and vices, with De Missy noting that men and women alike have both vices and virtues, and that one gender cannot be said to be more virtuous than the other. De Missy then goes on to discuss religion, and the ways in which divides between various religious denominations are largely artificial because human action traverses them. He states that he does not want to go to America but would do so tomorrow if they were the place that hated fraud and tyranny. He says he should like to do this journey with Voltaire. De Missy makes mention of the letter to Frederick II that Voltaire had sent him [D2386], adding some further details about the people mentioned in the letter: The Dias brothers, James Shepherd, and Luther. He then turns to Muhammad himself, questioning why Christians should be offended by Voltaire’s play when it shows Islam in a bad light as it was, he writes, founded on deceit and violence, not Christianity which was established with, he suggests, the best faith, great sweetness, and patience. De Missy then turns to Pascal’s comments on inconceivable proposals, problematising Voltaire’s understanding of this notion. De Missy ends his letter with a discussion of a Warning in the English papers from a wife whose husband had left home and not returned, with the wife claiming that if he came back within three days he would be graciously received. He writes that he had discussed this with a friend who concluded that the woman perhaps beat her husband. By means of an ending, he summarises his earlier questions about his edition of Mahomet, and this copy is left unfinished at the reiteration of Point Four.

The ode describes Marie-Thérèse d’Autriche, Queen of Bohemia and Hungary. In the manuscript, it is given the alternative title of: ‘Ode sur les affaires du temps faitte le 30 Juin de lannée 1742’ / Ode on the affairs of the time written on 30 June 1742. In the accompanying letter, written on the back of the ode, Voltaire describes the poem as a ‘citizen’s ode’, adding that is could appear following a tragedy. Voltaire adds that he is waiting for a response from the recipient, noting that the tragedy has also been printed in Holland, but that it would be more successful in England than elsewhere if it were printed with a preface in the recipient’s style. He ends by asking de Missy to write to him at Fauxbourg St Honoré, and notes that this package will not reach de Missy as soon as he would like as the post has already left and the package will have to wait four more days.