Letters Concerning the English Nation

Inspired by Voltaire's two-year stay in England (1726-8), this is one of the key works of the Enlightment. Exactly contemporary with Gulliver's Travels and The Beggar's Opera, Voltaire's controversial pronouncements on politics, philosophy, religion, and literature have place the Letters among the great Augustan satires. Voltaire wrote most of the book in English, in which he was fluent and witty, and it fast became a bestseller in Britain. He re-wrote it in French as the Lettres philosophiques, and current editions in English translate his French. This edition restores for the modern reader Voltaire's own English text, allowing us to appreciate him as a stylist at first hand. It is the only critical edition of the original text and, as well as providing an introduction and notes, it includes intriguing accounts of Voltaire by contemporary English ovservers. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Product details

• Authors: Voltaire, Nicholas (EDT) Voltaire/ Cronk
• Assisted by: Nicholas Cronk (Editor), Nicholas (Fellow and Tutor in French; Faculty Lecturer Cronk (Editor), Cronk Nicholas (Editor)
• Publisher: Oxford University Press Trade
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 23.07.2009
• EAN: 9780199555321
• ISBN: 978-0-19-955532-1
• Dimensions: 130 mm x 200 mm x 15 mm
• Series: Oxford World's Classics; World's classics
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: antiquity to present day; PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / General, Western philosophy: c 1600 to c 1900, Philosophical traditions and schools of thought