Voltaire asks Luise Dorothea, Herzogin von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg to permit him to write to her on such a small piece of paper because he fears that a larger package for ‘him’ passing through Franfurt will give ‘temptations to the curious.’ He therefore says that he takes the liberty of passing through her hands ‘things which are surely not worth the trouble but they may acquire some price when your serene highness has condescended to transmit them in his envelope.’ He calls her both a confidant and a protector and says that she will probably send him the answer, as ‘There are cruel things happening in this world. There are also some fun ones.’ He concludes by noting that all he can say with certainty to ‘V.A.S.’ is that the French have used their money badly.