Voltaire asks Michel Lambert to send him Luigi Ferdinando, conte di Marsigli’s Stato militare dell’imperio ottomano. He sends logistical instructions regarding proofs and printing and reminds Lambert that he is expecting an answer regarding a proposed joint publishing venture with the Cramer brothers of Geneva. He asks Lambert to sell the bulkier (folio and quarto) volumes that he left in Paris when leaving for Prussia in 1750. The final line (‘jattends de ses nouvelles’) and the signature (‘v’) are autograph.

Voltaire is sending proof corrections to Michel Lambert, having received the first sheet of his printing of La Henriade, which was eventually to be published as part of Lambert’s 1757 edition of Voltaire’s works. He advises on how the collaboration should proceed and hopes to see the Siècle de Louis XIV soon. The letter is wholly in Villaume’s hand with the exception of the date, which was added by Voltaire.

Voltaire is writing to Lambert with a business proposal from the Cramer brothers, who have approached Voltaire, interested in publishing his works. According to the offer, Cramer and Lambert would share the printing of the estimated dozen volumes of Voltaire’s Histoire universelle (later the Essai sur les mœurs), thus enabling it to be ready more quickly. The letter, most of which is in Villaume’s hand, contains several minor corrections. The last two paragraphs, as well as the valediction, signature and date, are in Voltaire’s hand. Voltaire first wrote ’28 aoust 1754′ before adding a curved vertical line to approximate a ‘9’.

Voltaire begins by saying that he is sending Cramer a new Russian chapter. He adds that they should leave Andromeda and run quickly to the Tsar and the histoire genérale, noting that the advent of Catherine and the coming peace are pressing Cramer. Voltaire then notes that he asked Cramer for a copy of La Pucelle, questioning whether or not he has any relics. He adds that he likes to give out copies every now and again and currently has a desire to give out four or five.

The marquise Du Châtelet reports that Voltaire is unwell with a fever and so she consequently did not show him d’Argental’s letter as the news of Rousseau’s return and Desfontaine’s public criticism would upset him too much. She then turns to Lamare, remarking on his attitude towards Voltaire, and adding that she wished his L’Envieux would not be published. She enquires as to whether or not L’Envieux has yet been presented to the actors and asks d’Argental to use his influence to seize the original manuscript from Lamare. Du Châtelet then turns to the correcting of Voltaire’s epistles including L’homme and Le plaisir, which she notes will be sent to Prault. She concludes by deploring the Dutch printers who have threatened Voltaire with public criticism and asks d’Argental to intervene on his behalf.

The letter reads: ‘M. de voltaire m’a prie, ‘Monsieur, de vous engager à lui procureur des éclair cissements au sujet d’un ouvrage imprimé en Hollande dont il paroit avoir fort à se plaindre. Il vous en a ecrit lui même et vous savez de quoi il est question. je ne puis refuser à ce celebre auteur de vous recommander ses interêts et vous me ferus plaisir de lui rendre touche les services qui dependrout de vous en observant neammoins de ne compromettre et votre personne ni votre caractere je suis, Monsieur, entierement à vous le Duc de Praslin.’

Voltaire begins by saying that whilst they await the paquet from Berlin, he is sending the recipient a small funny thing with which to treat Frederick II of Prussia, adding that very unfaithful copies of it have been circulated. He instructs Baculard d’Arnaud to give him his thoughts on the trifle, and give him news of his tragedy Catiline. He ends by bidding farewell to Baculard d’Arnaud and noting that he will be in Cirey for all of January. In an addition to the copy of this letter used for the Besterman edition (BNF, MS f.fr. 12941, p.305), Voltaire also notes that he knowns nothing more of the paquet from England and awaits with impatience news of Frederick II, ending his letter with the line: ‘vous serez bien aimable de m’ecrire’.

In the mémoire, Voltaire claims that his Histoire Universelle has been disfigured by Jean Néaulme in Berlin and Duchesne in Paris. He notes that it is not his fault if there have been unworthy popes, bad princes, and bad bishops, and neither is it his fault that people at court are ignorant. He asks the recipient to get rid of the existing copies of the work if possible, and asks to make public the purity of his conduct before the King, adding that he is threatened with an outburst from the Archibishop of Paris.

The letter discusses matters concerning the couple’s family, and gives news on their friends. Gravelot notes that he is currently working on some engravings to be used in the works of Voltaire.

Matthew Arnold discusses literature and expresses happiness at his brother knowin about Merope. He praises Maffei’s version of Merope before commenting on Voltaire’s, comparing both versions with Alfieri’s and concluding that Maffei’s was ‘poetically the best tragedy of the three’. He then goes on to discuss Wordsworth, Shelley, and Coleridge and their popularity within England, remarking that the contemporary period is intellectually richer than Pope’s time but that modern poetry is inadequate. He moves on to discuss Ancient Greek literature, comparing it to Shakespeare, and offering his opinions on the works of Voltaire and Goethe. He adds that these thoughts will form the basis of his inaugural lecture.