The draft is incomplete and represents just one part of Rousseau’s much longer ‘Lettre sur la providence’. The symbol at the beginning of the draft suggests that this manuscript may have been an addendum that was to be inserted into the final draft of the letter.

Frederick begins by describing himself as ‘The Damned Philosopher’ who is compelled to send Voltaire his thoughts, despite them being nonsense. He asks Voltaire not to accuse him if indiscretion, but rather to put his letter into the category of Bluebeard and the thousand and one (Perrault’s famous fairytale) if it bores him. He then enters a philosophical discussion in the form of an allegory in which the leading writers of the Enlightenment, led by Voltaire, fight against the “infamous”. Frederick writes that he does not believe that Mustafa III, sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1757 to 1774, or many others are concerned about this, with only those aware of the Greek saying: ‘Know thyself’ wanting to what they are, and who they are, and indeed what they must forget about themselves in order to advance knowledge. Frederick ends the letter by noting that the Grand Cordelier of Saint-Pierre knows what to expect but has been paid not to reveal the secrets of the Church, adding that he reckons the Grand Cordelier will be more concerned about Avignon than Jerusalem. In a humorous tone, he concludes that he wants to be discreet and not steal a moment from a man whose moments are so well spent that Frederick wishes that he may last as long as his statue.

The MS is in the hand of an unidentified copyist, and is incomplete. The copy contains three chapters in the following order: 33, 32, 31. These chapters concern religious matters (Calvinism, Jansenism, and ecclesiastical affairs), and their numbering corresponds to the first printed edition of the work (1751).

The first item is attributed to Nicolas Fréret, by some believe it to be the result of a joint enterprise between Paul Henri Thiry, baron d’Holbach, J.A. Naigeon, and N. Lagrange. The version included in the manuscript is similar to the edition printed in 1720. The second item is similar to the definition of ‘philosophe’ included in the Encyclopedia, ou, Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métier published in Geneva in 1778. The item is dated 1757. The third item isa letter from Bernard Le Bovier Fontenelle to Charles-Auguste, marquis de La Fare.

The manuscript is an exordium of Voltaire’s poem ‘La Religion naturelle’, comprised of four parts. It is a variant of the poem more commonly known as ‘Poème sur la loi naturelle’, with the incipit reading ‘Oh vous! Dont les exploits…’. In a letter of 22 March 1756 to the Duchess of Saxe-Gotha, Voltaire recalls that he completed his poem while staying at her château in Gotha in 1753. The poem explores the themes of happiness, morality, and natural laws. Most likely the poem is dedicated to the Duchess of Saxe-Gotha. The poem incurred the condemnation of the Parlement de Paris in early 1759, along with Helvétius’s De l’esprit and four other works (D8086, D8137, D8159). Voltaire’s reaction was bitter (D15618).

The manuscript is an autograph letter, written in the hand of Henri Jean Baptiste Fabry de Moncault. The letter expresses gratitude for Voltaire’s feedback on Le Pyrrhonien raisonnable, challenges the Judaic interpretations of The Bible, contests the myths surrounding Moses, and reflects on moral imperatives and religious maxims.

The manuscript is an autograph letter written in the hand of Du Buit and introducing Du st esprit, penned by the author’s father. The author reflects on different religious dogmas and the general principles characterising Catholicism, Protestantism, and animism (indigenous religions), advocates for the need to strip religion of Theological absurdities and argues for the Holy Spirit’s superiority over God. Additionally, Du st esprit accompanies the manuscript (iii.312–326).

The manuscript is an autograph letter, written in the hand of Morellet. It features the legislative debate surrounding the controversy of a Calvinist individual who sought burial according to Calvinist rites. Even though neither MS1 nor ED1 identify the writer, a prolonged collation of the indicia leaves little doubt that it was Morellet.

The earlier songs are of the “Mazarinade” variety, with a large portion of the later 17th-century examples directed against the court of young Louis XIV, presided over by Cardinal Mazarin. Later songs include satires on John Law and his disastrous speculation in the Mississippi project, on the religious cult of the Convulsionnaires in Paris, on the morality of the clergy and of the women of the Paris theatre, and one on Voltaire, condemned for his Lettres philosophiques.