The piece was written by Voltaire in 1738, and was first printed in 1786 under the name of l’abbé Caille.

Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand implores Voltaire to hurry to respond to her as she has heard that he said in the presence of witnesses that he had had a deed passed before a notary. She asks if the news is true, what the Act will do for him, if it will be before a tribunal of human or divine justice, if he will produce it at the Sorbonne or in Parliament, what his friends think, and why he did not warn them. She adds that this trait is so new in Voltaire that she cannot understand his reasoning. The Marquise then turns to her present company, noting that La Grand Maman does not want anyone else to read, and does it superiorly with a voice that goes to the heart and an intelligence that makes you feel and notice everything. She states that Voltaire would not know any others in her party, before noting that the President received with pleasure her message about Voltaire’s friendship for him. She concludes by asking Voltaire to thank his son-in-law on her behalf for sending her a copy of Voltaire’s homilies, stating that she will write to him herself, but that Voltaire’s words are a thousand times better than any she could write.

Voltaire writes that Marie-Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand’s memory and kindness give him many regrets, adding that he is like an enchanted knight reminded of their country in the Palace of Alcine. Voltaire then discusses his leaving Paris, noting that his life now is happy as he free to think, write, and say what he pleases in Potsdam. He adds that he is fortunate to eat strawberries, peaches, grapes, and pineapples in January. Voltaire then notes that he misses du Deffand, d’Alembert, and President Henaut, and asks du Deffand not to show this letter to anyone but the two aforementioned men. He briefly discusses the opinions of the Sorbonne towards Buffon.