Voltaire complains about the ‘bad sketch’ that Richelieu made d’Argenson read. He adds that he has included a petition for a Champagne gentleman named de Riaucourt, lieutenant in the batallion of St Dizier, whose father had just died. He writes that the widow and seven children had had a trial in the principality of Joinville and, in order to pay the attorney, they have to sell chickens at market for twenty sous. Voltaire notes that to pay for justice they die of hunger. He concludes by asking d’Argenson to protect him from Richelieu and adds that Emilie du Châtelet sends her compliments.

De Missy opens by saying that it has been a year to the day since Voltaire last wrote to him. He quotes La Fontaine on widowhood, stating that to be deprived of Voltaire’s correspondence was worse than being widowed. He reminds Voltaire that he repeatedly told him that he loved him, and asks Voltaire not to forget this. De Missy asks forgiveness if Voltaire is angry with him, and says that if Voltaire is busy he does not ask for long letters but only to know that Voltaire is well and that he loves him. He ends by asking Voltaire to have the courage to write to him, adding that he needs his advice, but noting that he does not know the fate of this letter because he does not know where Voltaire is.