Letters on the English

Letters on the English (or Letters Concerning the English Nation; French: Lettres philosophiques) is a series of essays written by Voltaire based on his experiences living in Great Britain between 1726 and 1729. It was published first in English in 1733 and then in French the following year, where it was seen as an attack on the French system of government and was rapidly suppressed. A revised edition appeared in English in 1778 as Lettres philosophiques sur les Anglais (Philosophical Letters on the English). Most modern English editions are based on the one from 1734 and typically use the title Philosophical Letters, a direct translation of that version's title. 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. Summary Lettres anglaises consists of twenty-four letters: Letter I: On The Quakers Letter II: On The Quakers Letter III: On The Quakers Letter IV: On The Quakers Letter V: On The Church of England Letter VI: On The Presbyterians Letter VII: On The Socinians, or Arians, or Antitrinitarians Letter VIII: On The Parliament Letter IX: On The Government Letter X: On Trade Letter XI: On Inoculation Letter XII: On The Lord Bacon Letter XIII: On Mr. Locke Letter XIV: On Descartes and Sir Isaac Newton Letter XV: On Attraction Letter XVI: On Sir Isaac Newton's Optics Letter XVII: On Infinites in Geometry, and Sir Isaac Newton's Chronology Letter XVIII: On Tragedy Letter XIX: On Comedy Letter XX: On Such of The Nobility as Cultivate The Belles Lettres Letter XXI: On The Earl of Rochester and Mr. Waller Letter XXII: On Mr. Pope and Some Other Famous Poets Letter XXIII: On The Regard That Ought to Be Shown to Men of Letters Letter XXIV: On The Royal Society and Other Academies