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.

A book of reading notes on historical subjects, mainly in the hands of Voltaire, Collini and Villaume. There is a note in an unknown hand on f.58r. Wagnière has jotted at the start of the notebook (at the top of f.1r): ‘ce cahier contient 58 feuillets écrits, soit 116 pages’, then, heavily crossed out: ‘je prie qu’on en ait soin, n’aiant pout de double étant obligé de rendre l’original. le […] peut écrire à messieurs les rédacteurs ils pourront me l’envoier pour le copier’. The final leaf contains a list of errata for the work that was to become l’Essai sur les mœurs.

Voltaire opens the letter by saying that his taste agrees with that of the recipient; he likes mysteries to remain secret. He says that he does not know whether or not the recipient has used the thoughts on public administration in the story of the twelfth wolf [lupus duodecimus], adding that if not he will weave them into the patchwork. Voltaire goes on to say that with one hand he is preparing this repetition whilst with the other the continuation of the general jumble of history, adding that if he had a third hand it would be put to the service of the lovely pair of brothers [par amabile fratrum].

The letter opens with nineteen lines of verse known as ‘Épître à Monsieur le Président Hénault’. The final seven words of the letter have been added in Voltaire’s hand.

The letter opens with nineteen lines of verse known as ‘Épître à Monsieur le Président Hénault’.

The letter features a poem on the death of Emanuel Falckner (1718-1739), the uncle of Bernoulli.