Voltaire writes to Dr John Carr to thank him for his gift of a copy of his translation of the Select Dialogues of Lucian, noting that Carr had successfully captured the spirit of Lucian.

The letter primarily concerns events between Praed and Edward Bulwer Lytton, however Edward Robert Lytton also states a query he has about a quotation that is either by Voltaire or Napoleon. He thanks Charles Kent for the gift of cards for his children and sends his good wishes for the festive season.

Edward Robert Lytton thanks Charles Kent for settling the debate over the Voltaire quotation mentioned in DZ/118/C2/141. He describes the progress made on a biography up to Edward Butler’s marriage, adding that he is now only missing the story of the arrest of the thief/murderer. He poses several questions about the publishers of Edward Bulwer Lytton’s early novels, and ends my stating his plans to visit Kent to examine materials for the third volume of his biography.