This copy of the “fourth” London edition of 1728 includes a dedication in Voltaire’s hand that is dated 25 April 1728. In the dedication, Voltaire presents the edition to Queen Caroline, adding that he waited until the fourth edition was ready to send a copy of the work to the Queen as it was ‘plus correcte et plus épurée’. Despite his assertions in this dedication, Voltaire had written ten days earlier to present the Queen with a first edition copy of the work.

Voltaire’s dedication is, unusually, bound at the back of the volume and is upside down.

Voltaire dates his letter using the Julian calendar (21 April 1728).

Renouard begins with his regrets at his inability to visit Scotland. He then states that he is sending two Voltaire letters via Longman, as well as his work on Aldus. He concludes by saying that he plans to publish an edition of French fabliaux.

The manuscript is an autograph letter written in the hand of an anonymous author. The manuscript details Rousseau’s conclusion of his retreat in Switzerland (Geneva) in response to the conspiracy orchestrated by David Hume. The letter discusses Rousseau’s correspondence with the Chancellors, wherein he seeks guidance and protection, as well as his missive to Mr. Louvray from Dover, requesting permission to relocate to a free country. Additionally, MS1 is endorsed “Copie”, and this is what it appears to be; but as the conjugate address is present it must be assumed that the letter was addressed to another, and this copy was sent to Voltaire. In line 7 of MS1, there is a missing word ‘semaines’ (following the word ‘Quelques’).

What we wrote concerning your complaint related not so much to it as a present disease as it did to its being a symptom of your going into a morbid state of body[…] Upon the most slight appearance therefore of any return you must not fail to consult Mr. Tissot as I have already wrote[…] I hope you do not remit your application to your more important studies. The practice of analysing is a very proper method of teaching, and facilitates the habit of judging of composition, but I fear you may have begun it too soon.’ Discourse on the difference between composition and analysis. Writer saw Mr Worsley a few days ago; he had not heard from his son for a long time. The writer informed Worsley that Alexander had seen his son, though has few opportunities of seeing his countrymen. Asks if Alexander has ever seen Voltaire.

De Missy begins by saying that his impatience does not allow him to let Mr. Gravelot leave from Paris without taking the opportunity to write to Voltaire. He discusses his failure to secure a publishing deal for an English version of Voltaire’s works, but adds that despite his failings he should like to receive a short word of comfort from Voltaire. He acknowledges his failings and says that he no longer desires condemnation but rather mercy. De Missy says that he recently saw an advertisement for an English Translation of Voltaire’s l’Anti-Machiavel, and asks if Voltaire has acquired the universal history he had told him about, adding that he is mortified that the bookseller that promised him he would send one to Voltaire broke their agreement.

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.

De Missy begins by saying that he was in a bad mood, and that bad moods make it difficult to talk with the people one loves in a way that pleases him. He notes that he was about to end his letter abruptly when his eyes fell on a passage in Voltaire’s last letter that made him laugh. He then turns to freedom of conscience and notes that he and Voltaire have very different views on that topic. De Missy ends with a Latin quote: Petimusque damusque vicissim (we ask and we give in turn).

De Missy writes to Voltaire about his edition of Voltaire’s tragedy Mahomet. De Missy divides the letter into a series of numbered points. Point One concerns the beginning of Act Three which is in need of revision. De Missy says that he could have corrected the Act himself but did not want to taint Voltaire’s writing. Point Two concerns a few passages that De Missy notes he will not punctuate in line with Voltaire’s intentions. He notes that this is particularly relevant to the first verses of p.55 in At IV. Point Three concerns various corrections in Voltaire’s copy that are in the London edition, and some passages in this edition that have been more heavily corrected than Voltaire’s version. He draws attention to p.7, p.33, p.42, p.45, p.48, and p.50. He asks Voltaire how he would like these sections to read, and whether or not he should follow the example of the London edition. Point Four concerns p.28 where the printer had written ‘They sit’ and Voltaire had not corrected it. De Missy asks if Voltaire’s lack of correction was intentional or not. Point Five concerns a verse on p.13, about which De Missy questions Voltaire’s phrasing. There then follow two paragraphs that are left incomplete, with large gaps in the copy suggesting that De Missy intended to expand on them and complete them. The paragraphs concern the topics of gender, virtues, and vices, with De Missy noting that men and women alike have both vices and virtues, and that one gender cannot be said to be more virtuous than the other. De Missy then goes on to discuss religion, and the ways in which divides between various religious denominations are largely artificial because human action traverses them. He states that he does not want to go to America but would do so tomorrow if they were the place that hated fraud and tyranny. He says he should like to do this journey with Voltaire. De Missy makes mention of the letter to Frederick II that Voltaire had sent him [D2386], adding some further details about the people mentioned in the letter: The Dias brothers, James Shepherd, and Luther. He then turns to Muhammad himself, questioning why Christians should be offended by Voltaire’s play when it shows Islam in a bad light as it was, he writes, founded on deceit and violence, not Christianity which was established with, he suggests, the best faith, great sweetness, and patience. De Missy then turns to Pascal’s comments on inconceivable proposals, problematising Voltaire’s understanding of this notion. De Missy ends his letter with a discussion of a Warning in the English papers from a wife whose husband had left home and not returned, with the wife claiming that if he came back within three days he would be graciously received. He writes that he had discussed this with a friend who concluded that the woman perhaps beat her husband. By means of an ending, he summarises his earlier questions about his edition of Mahomet, and this copy is left unfinished at the reiteration of Point Four.