Price comments on and mocks the postal system before recommending that Beaumont read Charles James Fox’s speech on the Duke of Bedford. He goes on to quote lines from Voltaire on Greek philosophy and poetry, before returning to Fox’s speech.

In the section of the letter dated 23 February, Jacobi talks about his rejection of Schelling’s speech, quoting a line from Voltaire’s poetry: ‘Tous les goûts sont pour moi respectables’. He discusses the philosophies of Platonism and Spinozism, before discussing news of their mutual acquaintances.

The beginning of the letter appears to be missing. Voltaire writes of something that had been signed ‘Louis’ rather that ‘Marville’, noting that it is not bed to go to Cleopatra if you want to succeed with Ceasar. He asks if the recipient knows that their friend, Roy, Chevalier de St Michel, made a speech in verse to the king on the subject of the success of his arms in which he said that he only wished to see the king as a father and a husband. He then notes that the ‘moutons de Berry’ have no more reason to complain because Madame la Duchesse du Maine has given Voltaire thanks for the ‘blue murderers’ who carry rifle guns, adding that everyone seems happy, especially the king. Voltaire then states that he is giving the recipient this account out of duty because they have been so interested in the work that it is almost as much theirs as it is his. He then talks of a satirical poem written by le Chevalier de St Michel about Voltaire, quoting some of the verse, before discussing the manner in which Monsieur de Soubise prevented Antoin’s post from being abandoned and disobeyed Marshal de Saxe in order to win the battle. Voltaire signs of the letter with the phrase: ‘Adieu Atticus’.