Letters on England
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~39,200 words · 186 passages
Cite this work
- APAVoltaire. (n.d.). Letters on England. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/voltaire/letters-on-england
- MLAVoltaire. Letters on England. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/voltaire/letters-on-england.
- ChicagoVoltaire. Letters on England. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/voltaire/letters-on-england.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
The Philosophical Letters, or Letters on England (1734): England explained to the French as a lesson in what they lacked.
Context and history
Voltaire writes on Quakers, on parliament, on smallpox inoculation, on Newton and on Locke, and every compliment to the English is an accusation against France. The book was burned by the public executioner in Paris and cost him exile. It is the text that introduced Newton to the continent. Voltaire wrote in French: this is an old English translation, in the public domain. For citation, the original.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
the priestess of the Pythian god at Delphos could not have acted her part to better advantage. Inspiration soon became so habitual to him that he could scarce deliver himself in any other manner. This was the first gift he communicated to his disciples. These aped very sincerely their master's several grimaces, and shook in every limb the instant the fit of inspiration came upon them, whence they were called Quakers. The vulgar attempted to mimic them; they trembled, they spake through the nose, they quaked and fancied themselves inspired by the Holy Ghost. The only thing now wanting was a few miracles, and accordingly they wrought some. Fox, this modern patriarch, spoke thus to a justice of peace before a large assembly of people: "Friend, take care what thou dost; God will soon punish thee for persecuting His saints." This magistrate, being one who besotted himself every day with bad beer and brandy, died of an apoplexy two days after, the moment he had signed a _mittimus_ for imprisoning some Quakers. The sudden death with which this justice was seized was not ascribed to his intemperance, but was universally looked upon as the effect of the holy man's predictions; so that this accident made more converts to Quakerism than a thousand sermons and as many shaking fits could have done. Oliver, finding them increase daily, was desirous of bringing them over to his party, and for that purpose attempted to bribe them by money. However, they were incorruptible, which made him one day declare that this religion was the only one he had ever met with that had resisted the charms of gold. The Quakers were several times persecuted under Charles II.; not upon a religious account, but for refusing to pay the tithes, for "theeing" and "thouing" the magistrates, and for refusing to take the oaths enacted by the laws.…