Letters on the English

Lettres anglaises (English: Letters on the English or Letters Concerning the English Nation) is a series of essays written by Voltaire based on his experiences living in England between 1726 and 1728. It was first published under the name Lettres philosophiques in 1734. In 1778, Voltaire, who was fluent in English, rewrote and published the work as Letters on the English. However, most modern English versions are based on a translation of the French text rather than Voltaire's English one. In some ways, the book can be compared with Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville, in how it flatteringly explains a nation to itself from the perspective of an outsider, as Voltaire's depictions of aspects of English culture, society and government are often given favourable treatment in comparison to their French equivalents. Lettres anglaises consists of twenty-four letters: Voltaire first addresses religion in letters 1–7. He specifically talks about Quakers (1–4), Anglicans (5),... full article at wikipedia