The author praises the King for finding joy in poetry and theatre, highlighting how this appreciation contrasts with the courtly culture at Versailles. He notes the King’s ability to balance the arts with governance, while pointing out the rising influence of German talent and philosophy. The author reflects on the transformative effect of the King’s intellectual pursuits and the growing philosophical movement in France, expressing hope for future reforms. He concludes with gratitude for the King’s continued kindness and a plea to retain his support for the ailing author.

The dossier includes poems, news from Paris and Versailles, domestic (and especially financial) problems in the country, and the prospect of war against England.

The text recounts that Louis XIV was going to attack the sibling of his wife. All the brothers of Charles II, King of Spain, had died and Charles was weak and unhealthy. Louis XIV and Emperor Leopold of Austria had a treaty which decreed that Leopold would let Louis XIV take possession of Flanders on the condition that it would pass to the emperor upon the death of Charles II. Leopold regretted signing the treaty almost immediately and demanded that no court should know of it. No copies of the treaty were made and the only one in existence was placed in a metal cassette for which only Leopold and Louis XIV had keys. This cassette was given to the French ambassador in Vienna and Louis XIV sent sixteen of his bodyguards to accompany the courier in case the emperor changed his mind and tampered with the document whilst it was being transported. It was taken to Versailles. This, Voltaire proclaims, is how the emperor let the King of Spain be robbed.

A letter from Joseph Marie Terray to Mr. Cochin, the intendandant des finances, written at Versailles on 10th May 1770. The letter is endorsed as ‘No. 2062.’ In the letter, Terray says that he is sending Mr. Cochin Article 4, Chapter 5 of the Book of the States of Bourgogne and Articles 3 and 5 of the Book of the Gex. He asks Mr. Cochin to look at the differences in the objects mentioned there.

Voltaire begs forgiveness for having written to ‘Madame Dixneufans’ on ceremony. He adds that he could be much more cross with Rochefort d’Ally for taking so long to reply but he has had a violent fever caused by two fatal illnesses from which he has escaped, noting his dismay at being told that l’abbé de Beauregard, preacher of Versailles, would gladly have refused him burial. Voltaire continues by rallying against this claim, ensuring Rochefort d’Ally that he observed Lent more rigorously than most monks in Europe, that he is a more diaphanous and leaner than any disciples of Loyola, and that he resembles Lazarus coming out of his niche.

Voltaire begins by saying that he is no longer in London, but that the kindness and protection he received from Lady Sundon remains with him. He adds that he has just arrived in Paris and hopes to go to Versailles.

Voltaire writes that he has waited in vain for the packet that Valliant said would arrive in order to reply to his letter dated 16 November, adding that he has no news of this packet so something must have gone wrong. He notes that he will write to Versailles for information even though he has renounced all the world’s courts. Voltaire thanks Valliant for the report that was in his letter and remarks that it is rather comical that Lord Ferrers said his Pater on the gallows and that a man who is going to be hanged asks for his daily bread. He quips that as he is quite old, quite infirm, and nearly blind, he is content with saying ‘Thy will be done.’

In this letter, Voltaire responds to a missive from the Marquise Du Deffand and begins by mentioning one of her friends, the captain of dragoons Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas de Lisle (1735-1783) whom Voltaire regrets is convinced that he is the author of an Épître à Ninon. Voltaire praises Russian men and women of letters and claims that French is spoken more purely at the court of Catherine the Great than at Versailles because French ladies do not pride themselves on knowing the grammar. He then turns to Catherine the Great, who he notes does not write verse, but knows her stuff very well, and makes very good jokes about Emilian Pugachev.