Voltaire is in Senones undertaking research in the library for his universal history (Essai sur les mœurs). Villaume writes a bibliographic reference at the top of the letter, to which Voltaire appends a quote in Latin, both of which are omitted from published versions of this letter. Voltaire is asking Dupont for information relating to this reference.

The provided incipit represents the introductory annotation at the beginning of the manuscript, which has been crossed out. The body of the letter begins with the following sentence « Je supplie Monsieur Dupont de vouloir bien me mander, quelle est cette malheureuse édition allemande, qui contredit si cruellement celle de Baluse »