Extracts within the collection include: Voltaire (Merope, Zaire, Alzire, Rome saved, Orestes, Sémiramis), Racine (Andromaque, Britannicus, Bérénice, Bajazet, Mithridates), Corneille (Le Cid, Horace, Polyeucte, Rodogune, Pulchérie), Gresset (Édouard III) , Chateaubrun (Philoctetes), etc., with some comments in the margins: “Noble despair, Tyranny, Cruel politics, Maternal tenderness”, etc.

Du Châtelet remarks upon how busy she has been since arriving in Commercy, before noting her happiness at the King’s kind gesture towards Voltaire’s Sémiramis. She writes that she hopes that he and his wife will visit her at either Cirey or Commercy, noting that Commercy is a beautiful place with an absence of ettiquette. Du Châtelet includes verses from the author of Cloé, adding that the author is a friend of Voltaire and would be delighted to be introduced to him.

The extracts are taken from Acts 1-5.

Grandey begins by saying that he would have written earlier but they had had company at Rufford and Shireoaks, adding that he is glad to hear that Achard is well. He informs Achard that he has been greatly troubled by rheumatic pain but that the sun has been shining all day which is supposed to be good for that ailment. He then notes that a week last Thursday Sir George [Savile, 8th Baronet] and Mr and Mrs Thornhagh went to Welbeck, and that he does not expect to see Achard until near Christmas. He adds that he can’t stop reading Montaigne, and that he does not think the Voltaire verses are actually by him, noting that he would like to read his tragedy ‘Serimamis’. Grandey ends by sending best wishes from his brother and sister, adding that Sir George has gone fox hunting and continues to work on the gardens at Rufford.